Nebraska football ended the 2024 season on a high note with its 20-15 Pinstripe Bowl victory over Boston College. This momentum will bring even higher anticipation for the 2025 season, many will be drinking the ‘Rhule-Aid.’
Head coach Matt Rhule has added many players from the transfer portal that are expected to be impact players such as Kentucky transfer wide receiver Dane Key or Missouri transfer edge Williams Nwaneri. The Huskers are not done yet. Rhule and the rest of his staff will host more visitors before classes start back up on January 20th.
Here are four transfers to keep an eye on:
DB Jaylin Davies
Nebraska continues to target big-body defensive backs with 6’0, 180-pound UCLA transfer Jaylin Davies. Davies started eight games at cornerback for the Bruins in 2024 and had 30 tackles. The Huskers have already added transfer defensive backs 6’1, 200-pound Justyn Rhett from Georgia and 6’0, 190-pound Andrew Marshall from Idaho.
Rhule and his staff appear to be geared toward more height, which both Marques Buford Jr. and Malcolm Hartzog Jr. both lack. Buford and Hartzog will be returning starters next season but expect them both to play safety, as it fits their size better.
OT Fa’alili Fa’amoe
The offensive line is the one position of need that Nebraska hasn’t hit on in the transfer portal. They made the final three for Nevada transfer Isaiah World but he ultimately chose Oregon. The Huskers are losing seniors Ben Scott and Bryce Benhart. It wouldn’t hurt for the Big Red to add a proven veteran.
Washington State junior offensive tackle transfer Fa’alili Fa’amoe would be a great addition. Fa’amoe visited Lincoln on December 18th. The 6’5, 315-pound was a team captain for the Cougars this past season.
Fa’amoe started seven games for Washington State in 2024 and has 26 total starts at right tackle during his career. The Polynesian ties to offensive line coach Donovan Raiola put the Huskers in a good position to secure him.
It is noteworthy to point out that redshirt freshman Gunner Gotuella is poised to be Nebraska’s starting left tackle next year. The unknown is what’s next for tackles Teddy Prochazka and Turner Corcoran who both suffered season-ending injuries last season.
LB Marques Watson-Trent
The Huskers already added linebacker Dasan McCullough from Oklahoma but he’s more of a hybrid who can play rover, edge or linebacker. Georgia Southern transfer Marques Watson-Trent is a true middle linebacker. This would help fill a void after Mikai Gbayor and Stefon Thompson transferred and John Bullock out of eligibility.
Watson-Trent is a bit undersized coming in at 5’11, 225 pounds. This didn’t hold him back, as he was the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He finished 2024 with 118 tackles and four forced fumbles.
This would pair nicely with soon-to-be sophomore linebacker Vincent Shavers Jr. and Nebraska also has four-star freshman Christian Jones coming in from Omaha Westside. Watson-Trent will be visiting Lincoln on Friday, January 3rd.
DL TJ Lindsey
Auburn defensive lineman TJ Lindsey is set to visit the Capital City with Watson-Trent on Friday. Lindsey maintained his redshirt during his freshman season for the Tigers. The former 3-star recruit only appeared in one game and had two tackles in 2024.
The 6’3, 295-pound freshman would be the fourth D-lineman to be added from the portal joining–Williams Nwaneri, Jaylen George and Gabe Moore–who are already ‘N.’ This makes sense due to the mass exodus of Blackshirts on the defensive line–James Williams, Jimari Butler, Princewill Umanmielen, Brodie Tagaloa, Kai Wallin and Vincent Jackson.
