Nebraska Defensive Back Malcolm Hartzog Jr. to Enter the Transfer Portal

Nebraska football's future in the secondary took a hit on Friday.

Defensive back Malcolm Hartzog Jr. is expected to enter the transfer portal, according to multiple reports. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

Hartzog spent four seasons in Lincoln, playing in 38 games and making 22 starts. His Husker career ends with 108 tackles, 13 pass breakups, and eight interceptions.

This season, Hartzog played in just the first two games of the year. He had a heroic last-minute interception in the season opener to seal the victory against Cincinnati in Kansas City.

In the second game of the year against Akron, Hartzog suffered a lower-body injury. He would attempt to rehab for several weeks before electing to utilize his redshirt and undergo surgery in October.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Malcolm Hartzog Jr. intercepts a pass against Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Caleb Goodie. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Prior to college, Hartzog was the first Mississippi native to sign with Nebraska since Byerson Cockrell in 2014 and was the Huskers’ first scholarship recruit from the Mississippi high school ranks since Brandon Jackson in 2004.

Before his injury, Hartzog was expected to be one of the top contributors for the Blackshirts this fall. Despite solid efforts from multiple players moving around in the secondary, his presence, especially in aiding against the run, was never fully replaced.

Known Transfer Portal Departures

The transfer portal doesn't open until Jan. 2 and runs through Jan. 15, but there are now four known Huskers set to depart.

The others are freshman running back Jamarion Parker, freshman safety Caden VerMaas, and sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola is helped off the field after suffering an injury against USC. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Returning Secondary Talent

The Husker secondary is one of the deepest positions on the roster.

On the final depth chart of the regular season, Nebraska had just three seniors among the 11 spots for rover, cornerback, safety, and nickel. Those spots also included two freshmen at safety, another at cornerback, a sophomore corner, a sophomore rover, and a junior nickel.

Besides the departing VerMaas, the 2025 class included two other secondary players: four-star cornerback Bryson Webber and three-star safety Tanner Terch. Those two also only saw action against Akron and Houston Christian.

Several players from the 2024 class have yet to get significant time in the secondary, either. That class includes safety Braylen Prude, cornerback Mario Buford, safety Kahmir Prescott, cornerback Amare Sanders, cornerback Larry Tarver Jr., and cornerback Donovan Jones.

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