Yesterday Nebraska missed out on North Dakota Sate transfer running back Chamar Brown when he committed to Mami. Today, Nebraska’s heart sank once again as Trae Taylor put on an Illinois cap and announced he was staying home. But Nebraska’s heartache and disappointment quickly lifted as Taylor tossed the Illini cap and donned a Nebraska cap and stated he was going to Nebraska. It’s a good day for Husker fans.
Rhule and his staff targeted Taylor early on and have been relentless in making him feel welcomed and a valued member of the Husker family. Taylor has responded with several visits. His most recent visit was to the Husker Games on Saturday, and he also visited at the beginning of spring practice. He was here for home games last season against Rutgers and Wisconsin, so he’s familiar with the gameday atmosphere. He has said he’s very comfortable with Lincoln, the community, Nebraska’s facilities and especially Matt Rhule, Glenn Thomas, and Dana Holgorsen. He’s also been impressed with what the school has to offer in his academic pursuit of majoring in sports broadcasting.
Part of Taylor’s attraction to Nebraska is seeing the Huskers as the pro sports team of the state. He realizes the attention that Husker football players get and how invested Nebraska’s fans are in the program. And don’t think he’s missed out on the fact Raiola just signed a deal with Addidas. Things like that are significant for a recruit when looking at the NIL potential and what a school has to offer.
Taylor is a consensus top six quarterback in the 2027 cycle. 247 Sports has Taylor as their 40th player in their 2027 rankings. Only a sophomore, he has had over thirty scholarship offers. Before selecting Nebraska, his top four schools were LSU, Texas A&M, Illinois and Nebraska. For some Husker fans it seems crazy to be recruiting and receiving commits as far out as 2027. But the new trend, especially for quarterbacks, is to sign early, concentrate on getting better and work on peer recruiting. Commitments like Taylor’s can easily be the key piece to a recruiting class.
This fall Taylor will be a junior and start his third season at Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein, Illinois. Currently he stands 6’3” and weighs 190 pounds and one would have to think he possibly isn’t done growing. With his size and talent, it’s easy to get excited about the possibilities. Last season he passed for over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns with 7 interceptions. He added 342 yards and 4 touchdowns running the ball. Taylor is not a one trick pony. His game is balanced with a good arm and the ability to run when needed. He’s also been described as very cerebral with real understanding and knowledge of the game.
His commitment couldn’t come at a better time for Nebraska. It’s one of the reasons they have gone so hard for him. Being a 2027 recruit his arrival at Nebraska fits in perfectly with the prospect of Dylan Raiola moving on after three years. It isn’t unreal for Taylor to think he could potentially be Nebraska’s starter as a true freshman. We’ve seen it in the past with both Adrian Martinez and Dylan Raiola.
However, with Taylor not arriving until January of 2027 it will be essential for Nebraska to hang on to him. Multiple portal cycles will occur between now and January 2027 and teams won’t give up on recruiting him just because he’s committed. The Nebraska staff and Husker Nation will need to continue showing Taylor the love.
Whatever happens next, Nebraska has taken the first step in getting Trae Taylor in a Nebraska uniform. It’s a good sign, with quarterbacks like Dylan Riola, TJ Lateef, Dayton Raiola, and now Trae Taylor, Nebraska is building an impressive quarterback tree. It’s the sort of thing needed for Nebraska to once again be relevant in the college football world.
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