Nebraska Football Post-Spring Stock Report: Quarterbacks

Husker fans got their first look at Nebraska’s revamped quarterback room, but how does it stack up after spring?

Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea fires a pass to a receiver during the 2026 Red-White Spring Game. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

After waving goodbye to the Dylan Raiola era, Nebraska's quarterback room looks completely different in 2026.

Having added two transfer quarterbacks and retaining TJ Lateef, the Big Red saw a holistic shift in ideology and scheme from one year to the next. Now, it's up to offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen to put it together, but after 15 spring practices, fans got their first look.

Here's the latest on NU's signal-caller group, from getting the pulse on their stock post-spring to the biggest question marks heading into the fall.

Updated Depth Chart

There's little doubt about who will lead Nebraska’s offense next fall, but the battle behind him remains unsettled. Kaelin and Lateef both enter their sophomore seasons with a chance to claim the QB2 role, and that competition is far from decided.

Spring offered an early glimpse, but not a final answer. Both will continue developing within Holgorsen’s system, with the expectation that the race carries into fall camp. Each brings a different skill set, giving the Big Red added flexibility behind the starter, but establishing a reliable backup remains a priority after injuries derailed the position in 2025.

For now, all three scholarship quarterbacks are healthy, and the coming months could help create further separation between offensive install and film review. Regardless of how it shakes out, NU's staff appears confident in the depth it has built at the position.

Projected Depth Chart

1. Sr: Anthony Colandrea
2. So: Daniel Kaelin or So: TJ Lateef
4. So: Bode Soukup

Trending Up or Down?

What we saw in NU's spring game was very vanilla. Even so, largely, Husker quarterbacks looked the part. Of the four signal-callers on Nebraska's roster, each completed at least one pass, and in total they combined for 168 yards and two touchdowns on roughly 58% passing. Colandrea led in production, of course, going 12-for-19 on attempts for 80 yards and both touchdown passes. He also accounted for the Big Red's only turnover on the day, an interception thrown early in the second quarter.

Holgorsen and company were never going to show too much, and why would they? There's nothing to prove against your own defense in front of fans. Instead, they'll look to put the offense on full display after three non-conference games when Big Ten play begins.

Regardless, overall, the group is trending up. Nebraska will have a deeper quarterback room than a season ago, with seemingly significantly less drop-off from starter to backup. Don't get me wrong, the ceiling is far lower than before the Huskers' former five-star QB departed the program, but a change in offensive identity is looking to counteract that. More importantly, the staff feels confident that the playmakers and protection surrounding their quarterbacks will be better than last fall. If that's the case, there's no reason the Big Red can't have a more potent offensive unit even with a less notable signal-caller taking the snap.

Transfer Portal Impact

Exactly 50% of NU's quarterback room in 2026 will be composed of players who played at other Power Four programs a season ago. That's the new reality of college football, so it's a good thing Rhule and company showcased an ability to pivot quickly over the offseason.

Now, it appears that, in all likelihood, the signal-caller who earns the start in game one will have never done so before in a Nebraska uniform. As scary as that might seem, Colandrea, the favorite to do so, has started 31 collegiate games in his career. That being said, for him, it's nothing new.

Regardless, apart from the offensive line, quarterback is the most impacted position by the transfer portal on the offensive side of the ball. It will absolutely have a major impact on how that unit performs in 2026, and in Kaelin's case, it will continue to have an impact on the room for several years to come.

What Changed Since 2025?

Speed and offensive identity seemed to have been added points of emphasis since the Big Red last had former starter Dylan Raiola on the field for a full game in October of 2025. Regardless of whoever assumes the starting role, Colandrea, Kaelin, and Lateef are all noticeably more willing to take available yardage on the ground. They're also less prolific natural arm talents than that of Raiola as well.

Still, Holgorsen's offensive game plan will undoubtedly adjust to that going in. That likely means much of what the Huskers put on display on March 28, lateral RPOs, zone running schemes, and occasional deep shots, will be the Big Red's bread and butter moving forward. Big plays will have the ability to be made, but the ground attack will be priority number one, and everything else will open up, or not, as a result.

It also suggests that the quarterback run game will be a feature as well. Holgorsen noted it won't be a staple, but after Colandrea rushed for 649 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025, it will be hard to ignore. Adding that threat into the ground attack further opens up passing lanes, and NU's offense would be foolish not to selectively exploit the opposing defense with their projected starting quarterback's most unique skill.

Biggest Question Mark Heading in 2026

Knowing that the Huskers failed to keep their starter healthy for the entire season in 2025, the biggest question mark heading into the fall is whether they can do it this time around. We've seen how detrimental losing a QB1 can be for the remainder of the year, and Nebraska's schedule isn't getting any easier in future seasons. That means the health of NU's starter, in addition to the continued development of the backups, will need to take a tangible leap over the coming months.

If Colandrea is indeed the starter, balancing a QB run game with keeping his best interests in mind is absolutely vital. Were he to suffer an injury similar to that of Raiola, the signal-callers behind him are more experienced, but that doesn't necessarily correlate directly to success either. He was brought onto the roster for a reason, and Nebraska frankly needs him to be a similar version of what he was in 2025 for them to find success in the team's fourth year under Matt Rhule.

In 2026, a bowl game isn't guaranteed, much like it hasn't been for the program over the last decade. In simple terms, keeping Colandrea healthy for the entirety of the season, despite it likely being a tall task, could be the difference between overachieving and disappointing in year four. There's a lot of weight on the will-be seniors' shoulders, so it's a good thing he's getting paid a favorable amount. A season, or program, is never dependent on just one player, but the former Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year can provide a boost this program desperately needs. If that happens, the whole team benefits as a result, and there's little doubt that was the intended outcome when NU sought him in the transfer portal over the offseason.