A Husker WR Moves to the Defensive Line: What Impact Can He Have?

The Nebraska Cornhuskers' wide receiver room is one of the best in the nation, at least in terms of depth. A former four-star athlete, whom the Huskers originally made a wideout, Jeremiah Jones, is now switching to the defensive line as an edge defender. While fans may not see the redshirt freshman on the field at all in 2026, it is a notable move for many reasons and could pay off for Nebraska down the road.

Jeremiah Jones Joins the D-line

By bringing in Kwazi Gilmer via the transfer portal, the Huskers added a third star to a wideout room that already had Nyziah Hunter and Jacory Barney Jr., making it harder for the young wideouts to get playing time. Behind those three are also young potential stars in Quinn Clark and Cortez Mills Jr., who actually make up only some of the depth at the position.

This, of course, could make someone like Jones a little bit nervous in terms of playing time, even in the future. Jones, the former athlete who was recruited by some schools to play defense, is capable of being a star on the edge for the Huskers. Listed cuttently at 6-feet-4 and 230 pounds, Jones, as a senior in high school, racked up 117 tackles, 11 sacks, and 18 tackles for loss on the defensive side of the ball.

In other words, Jones was already a potential star on the defense coming into Nebraska. "There were times in the fall where we'd have Jeremiah go pass rush when he was on scout team," head coach Matt Rhule said Thursday at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. "And as we got to the spring, occasionally we'd have him go pass rush. I think as he saw himself having success, he thought, 'I could probably do this.':

Nebraska doesn't have great depth at the edge position, which may have led the team to experiment with the athletic Jones.

What Does Jones Bring to the D-Line?

In 2026, Nebraska has a few defensive ends to work with. First, there's the potential X-factor, Wiliams Nwaneri, who struggled as a redshirt freshman but can still live up to his five-star billing out of high school. There are also two veterans in Cameron Lenhardt and Anthony Jones Jr., who both could be good pass rushers. Lenhardt had a disappointing 2025 season with only two sacks, but he can still be good in 2026. Anthony Jones adds experience and size with the ability to really help a player like the 6-foot-7 Nwaneri. Other than those three, there is a player who looks to be a future superstar, Kade Pietrzak, a true freshman in 2025, who tallied seven tackles for loss, including two sacks. With Pietrzak and Nwaneri alone, Nebraska feels very dangerous on the pass rush.

However, aside from those four, Nebraska doesn't have much depth at the position. For now, Jones adds depth. But in the future, the great athlete could be a massive sack problem and maybe even be a linebacker/edge at times for the Huskers. Jones adds athleticism to the position, and in the future, he can be great defensively.

Ultimately, Nebraska's elite WR room didn't really need the services of a big, physical Jones, given all the talent it already has. With Jones' permanent position in question since the moment he entered Lincoln, it's not surprising to see a switch in positions. For now, Jones probably isn't going to break onto the scene and dominate, but he can be an amazing player in the future.

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