This week Millard South’s 6’5” 210-pound quarterback Jett Thomalla was offered a scholarship from Alabama. Thomalla, who is currently a 2026 Iowa State commit has already said he’ll be visiting Tuscaloosa. And it’s not unreal to think he’ll receive additional offers down the road.
But Thomalla isn’t Nebraska’s only highly sought after quarterback. Omaha Westside’s 6’2” 195-pound QB Braylen Warren is also being heavily pursed by schools like Iowa State, Kansas State, Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Arkansas, and Missouri in the 2027 class.
Matt Rhule and Nebraska are aware of both guys but haven’t pursued either, causing Husker fans to ask, “What gives?” When was the last time you remember the state having two QB’s this talented? Or a Nebraska high school quarterback being recruited by Alabama?
All I’ll say is, don’t count the Huskers completely out. Not yet anyway. A lot can happen over the next couple of seasons. Nebraska’s staff is good at building relationships and never burning bridges, they have a way of getting players the second time around. Think of linebacker Dawson Merritt who committed to Alabama and wide receiver Cortez Mills who committed to Oklahoma. Both visited Nebraska and established relationships before committing to other schools. Both ended up flipping to Nebraska.
But seeing Thomalla and Warren going somewhere else shouldn’t be unthinkable either.
The problem is, it’s too hard for Husker fans to wrap their minds around the fact that in four cycles the Huskers have gotten quarterbacks Dylan Raiola in 2024, TJ Lateef in 2025, Dayton Raiola in 2026, and now Trae Taylor in 2027. Right now, the Huskers are set at quarterback.
Nebraska has had good quarterbacks over the years but isn’t exactly known as ‘Quarterback U’. And because of that, Husker fans hold their breath when things seem too good to be true and wait for things to fall apart.
They expect Dayton Raiola to come to Nebraska … he’s a Raiola. And honestly, they don’t like the fact that as of now, Dayton hasn’t been heavily recruited. Some are questioning if he’s as good as Thomalla or Warren. But don’t be deceived. Some say he’s better than Daylan before going into his senior year. Dayton has never hidden the fact he’s all ‘N’. He’s not being recruited because he hasn’t shown the least bit of interest in going anywhere else. He’s made it clear it’s always been Nebraska whether he was a two-star or a five-star talent.
But Husker fans can’t seem to accept the fact Nebraska has settled on their quarterbacks for 2026 and 2027. It’s just too far out for them to envision. Yes, Rhule and the staff threw a dart on Taylor, and it stuck. But now it must stay stuck, and 19 months is a long time. Is Trae Taylor’s commitment that strong? That’s what fans are worried about. And with good reason. With today’s college football world, there are too many variables involved. Money being the biggest one.
But to Trae Taylor’s credit, his choice wasn’t based on dollars and cents. It’s my understanding that his parents are the only ones to talk NIL. They know the money involved, their son does not. They made their son make his choice on academics, coaches, and the football program. At this point Trae Taylor is sold on Nebraska.
Taylor has been peer recruiting, and in doing so, he isn’t making promises or throwing around false hopes. He is simply sharing what he believes and why he chose Nebraska.
“So, the goal is to go to the NFL. Nebraska has a head coach who was in the NFL, an offensive coordinator who has put top-tier players in the NFL, and a quarterbacks coach that is helping the quarterbacks spread the love, spread the ball around and give the receivers better opportunities … he has been in the NFL and coached Matt Ryan to a Super Bowl,” Taylor said. Taylor also commented on how he likes the way Glenn Thomas coaches. He feels like Nebraska is the right place for him. And honestly, every player Taylor convinces to join him at Nebraska will only solidify his commitment.
If Nebraska truly wants to lock Taylor in, what they do on the football field over the next two seasons can make all the difference, and not just with Taylor but with the 30 odd recruits that will be in Lincoln this coming month. Right now, Nebraska appears to be a program on the rise, and everyone wants to be a part of that. But what if they have real success and Rhule leads this team to a 9- to-10-win season in 2025 and makes the college football playoffs.
If that happens, think of all the relationships built, and all the second chances at guys they missed the first time around. Never say never. Not even on the in-state guys.
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