Is Nebraska Making a Mistake With Its 2026 QB Recruiting? (Spoiler Alert: No!)

On this week's I-80 LIVE, Jack Mitchell and Josh Peterson unpacked the quarterback recruiting discourse and explained why they think Matt Rhule and Co. are doing a great job with recruiting the most important position in sports.

Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule meets with the media after practice. / Kaleb Henry

It's been a feisty week in the world of Nebraska football discourse, including some frustration from fans regarding Nebraska's quarterback recruiting. In mid-May, Alabama offered in-state Millard South QB Jett Thomalla. Meanwhile, the current Iowa State commit hasn't received one from Nebraska. Is this a problem?

Jack Mitchell and Josh Peterson unpacked the frustration some have had at the QB position, while arguing there are reasons to completely buy in to what's going on.

Below is a lightly-edited transcript of their discussion.

---

Jack: First of all, impressive. Alabama is offering Jett. Wow. We've had some of that with position players in Nebraska but not quarterbacks, right? In terms of the top programs competing with Nebraska or anybody else to get them. So, in some ways it's really uncharted water for Nebraska high school football, which is crazy. 

[Daniel] Kaelin I guess had what, Michigan State who was offering him, Oklahoma State? You kind of had that second tier, but you haven't really had the very top tier.

Josh: Like you said, it's usually other positions. Carter Nelson had Georgia interested in him, you know, Niles Paul back in his day had some big schools.

Sep 14, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Carter Nelson (29) runs after a catch for a touchdown against the Northern Iowa Panthers during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Jack: Malachi [Coleman] had Oklahoma and Georgia. So, it's new. But it's very simple to me, Josh. It’s super simple. They made a commitment to Dayton Raiola, for better or worse, that they're going to stick to. For variety of reasons.

Mitch [Sherman] said on your show, “quarterback recruiting is just different.” And I think what he meant was – I don't want to put words in Mitch's mouth – but I think what he meant was you kind of get your guy, right? And then you're done. You kind of lock it. You decide you stick with them. As long as you've got that guy, you're sort of done. And it's one per class where other positions you'll get more. There's no reason to stick at one. But at quarterback you kind of have to.

Josh: Why do you think this got as much reaction as it did? Do you think it is a lack of trust in Matt Rhule? Do you think it is a Nebraska kid and that always gets people's dander up? Is it the nepotism-feel-vibe that there is with Dayton?

Jack: It's all of those!

Dayton Raiola taking a snap in high school / Christian Stahl (@thestahlflix)/Instagram

Josh: What is it the most do you think? And hey, let's throw in the fourth one too; a genuine fear that this kid could be really good if Alabama views him as good, and you don’t want to miss out on that.

Jack: I think that's honestly the big one because like I said to start this, you just haven't had a Nebraska quarterback have that kind of attention out of high school for the most part, right?  His senior year hasn't even happened yet. And who knows what else is coming if Alabama's in.

Is Ohio State, is USC, is whomever else going to come calling for him at this point? That just hasn't happened and so, I think there are people who are thinking, “yeah, I understand it but at this point, he's in state, he might be interested in coming, he's looking like he is going to be elite. You need to drop everything and figure it out.” I think that's what it is.

Josh: Yeah. [Subscriber] Dilo says, “I think he sticks in Ames.”

[Subscriber] Biff ultimately hits on how I feel about this thing. “We're already loaded with quarterback prospects. Another two years of Dylan, Lateef who’s redshirting, Dayton for depth, and a freaking five-star in Taylor committed. JT plays with an all-star team and maybe will be a great player in college, but history says he won't.”

Nov 23, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) waits for a snap against the Wisconsin Badgers during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Jack: I'm kind of there too. 

Josh: Am I just getting old where I'm just like, “I can't work up the nerve to really get all that frustrated?”

Jack: It would be so different if they did not have guys around him in the classes around him committed.

Josh: But I get it. I understand the frustration and that he as a Nebraska kid is playing a huge part in this whole discussion. But man, players transfer all the time. I just can't get so worked up over recruiting. I wish I could. I used to be so worked up over recruiting, man. But it's just so hard anymore because I just never believe that a player is going to last.

2027 Trae Taylor with current QB Dylan Raiola. / @Qb6Trae/X

Jack: They would have to sever ties. The bottom line for me is they would have to sever ties with Dayton Raiola. I suppose you could do that now, right? And I guess let Dylan play, but it's not that I embrace the machine or the system right now, but I get why they're doing that. I totally get why they're doing it. Their most important player right now is kind of connected to that. Is it gross? Maybe, but it's reality.

So, I don't blame them because I think you're not gonna take two guys from that class. You're just not, right? And you just have the kid from Illinois commit. That's a huge get, I think, and that's a long way away.

I had a little bit of a disagreement with Dave Feit on this last night. I think they're more prepared from a recruiting position at that quarterback position as they sit right now than they've been [since] I don't know when the last time was.

Josh: Isn't that amazing?

Jack: What do you think about that? I know the Logan Smothers was a big recruit. I know [Luke] McCaffrey was a big recruit, but I would take where they are right now at that position over anything they've been at for forever, to be honest.

Josh: I think that the hard part about it is you're right. When Logan committed, there was a excitement and McCaffrey committed. Though I will say this, to argue just a tiny bit. I remember being a little perplexed by how different some of those players looked and were in terms of style of prospects. It didn't ever seem like a kind of consistent type of quarterback and again, I'm not breaking down film or anything, but it does seem like they're just going after good players right now and I don't think you could always say that with the Frost era.

So, yeah, you're probably right. The other pushback would just be like, you know, best laid plans and all, and it seems good but all it takes is one portal cycle where multiple guys transfer out.

Jack:  Sure. Like, you want me to say one area where Rhule’s done a good job? It's recruiting quarterbacks in my opinion; post-Jeff Sims.

Oct 28, 2023; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Jeff Sims (7) is tackled by Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Josh: Yes. He handled that part bad. Everything else has been pretty good.

Jack: I can definitely see myself complaining about him not doing if he wasn't. With that very specific thing, he’s put Nebraska in a good position, right?

Josh: How amazing is that that he's done that given the offense has sucked? How in the world are they able to sell anybody when the offense has been horrible?

Jack: It's a good question. How is he getting those guys? How did he get Lateef?

Nebraska quarterback TJ Lateef / Nebraska Athletics

Josh: How did he get Taylor? You know, obviously Dylan, we know that he's a legacy but that's still an incredible get. A guy who was committed at one point committed to Ohio State and Georgia.

[From a subscriber] “Matt Rhule has been good at hiring lately. Year two hires way better than year zero hires.” They definitely are. And Jack, you know, we still got three more months to talk about this stuff, but I just continue to think about the pressure that is on him and Raiola and just the team because, you know, proof of concept has been a phrase that we have used around here for years. They need that though, so bad, because they're doing a lot of the stuff behind the scenes that are laying the bricks. But for that really to pay off, they gotta put together a season that you're like, “it's not just hope.”

Jack: Yes, yes. 100%, Josh. The reason I can't get worked up about this is if it was a huge mistake, the first time you're going to feel it is three years from now.

Dec 28, 2024; Bronx, NY, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) reacts during the second half against the Boston College Eagles at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Josh: Yeah. Worry about that later.

Jack: Who will be here then? Will Rhule be here then? If he gets there and he's still around and everything else has looked good in there, you're like, “well, I wish they had Jett tomorrow.” The amount of issues that I'm concerned about; future quarterback depth is so low right now.

Josh: You're talking about a 2028 quarterback; that’s what you're worried about? A guy who would start maybe in ’28 or ’29? That’s so far away.

Sep 14, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) and quarterback Heinrich Haarberg (10) warm up before the game against the Northern Iowa Panthers at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Jack: Number one, it's in the future and number two, they got pretty good other guys around them. This is one thing he's done well in my opinion.

Josh: Am I an idiot if I say, “if Dylan Raiola turns into an All-Big Ten caliber quarterback, it's worth the Dayton throwaway offer just because?” Am I also wrong for thinking that because I also kind of think that if Dylan Raiola becomes an All-Big Ten caliber quarterback in one or each of the next two years, that's fine that they offered his brother; deal with it. One quarterback is not going to make or break it. If you hit on one of the guys before right, you're going to be fine regardless.

Jack: 100%. And also, there have been a bunch of guys that we thought were going to be good, they missed on. Maybe there's one that goes the opposite direction.

---

Watch the entire clip below!

Want more from the I-80 Club, including the entire episode? Subscribe to the I-80 Club Patreon today for just $5 a month and get access to bonus episode, everything Volleyball State has to offer, the Discord sever, and more!

I-80 Club Summer 2025 / Josh Peterson

---

More From Nebraska on SI

• Dave Feit’s Greatest Huskers by the Numbers: 97 – Pat Engelbert and Jeff Ogard
• What the New College Football Playoff Seeding Format Means for Nebraska, Big Ten Conference
• How to Watch Nebraska Baseball vs. Oregon in the Big Ten Tournament: Preview, Breakdown, TV Channel
• Get Excited for Virginia Adriano! Plus, Changes Are Coming to the Bob Devaney Sports Center
• How to Watch Nebraska Softball in the Knoxville Super Regional: Preview, Breakdown, TV Channel

---

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.