Nebraska Receiver Dane Key Named to Senior Bowl Top 300 List

Nebraska football receiver Dane Key is already receiving some NFL attention prior to his senior season in Lincoln.

Key, a former Kentucky receiver who transferred to the Huskers during the offseason, was named to the 2026 Senior Bowl Top 300 list Wednesday, selected by the Senior Bowl Scouting Department from a list of over 2,000 draft-eligible prospects. The receiver was the only Husker selected for the watch list.

Prior to joining Nebraska, Key was a team captain in Lexington, where he spent three seasons with the Wildcats. The receiver played in 12 games with 11 starts in his junior season in 2024, nabbing 47 receptions for 715 yards and two touchdowns. Key set career bests in catches and receiving yards in his junior campaign, adding two 100-yard receiving games while leading Kentucky in receptions and receiving yards.

Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Dane Key (6) runs the ball against Murray State Racers defensive back Larry Preston — Dane Key was a successful wide receiver at Kentucky before following his position coach to Lincoln. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Before entering college football, Key was a standout prep prospect from Lexington, Ky, earning a four-star nod by 247Sports and ESPN. He was named the top prospect in the state of Kentucky and was among the nation's top 250 overall recruits and top 40 wide receivers. During his freshman season, Key immediately made an impact with 37 receptions, 519 receiving yards, and six scores in 2022. He opened his Wildcat career with 12 starts as a freshman in 13 games and became the first true freshman Kentucky receiver to start a season opener since 2003.

He continued his success in 2023 as a sophomore, matching his touchdown mark from the year prior with six scores on 42 receptions with 636 receiving yards. Key once again played in all 13 games, including 12 starts, while leading Kentucky in receiving yards. Key was named a team captain the following season.

Key finished his Kentucky career fifth on the Wildcats' all-time receptions list and 13th in career receiving yards, totaling 35 starts, 126 receptions, 1,870 receiving yards, and 14 touchdowns.

Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Dane Key (6) runs onto the field before the game against the Auburn Tigers at Kroger Field. — Dane Key didn't need long to make a decision on his next school, choosing the Huskers in December. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Key was a priority target for Nebraska and head coach Matt Rhule, who inked the transfer receiver in late December after the Huskers' Pinstripe Bowl victory. Key was the No. 4 receiver in the portal and 10th-ranked player by 247Sports while being listed as the No. 9 overall player available by Rivals. The receiver followed his position coach, Daikiel Shorts Jr., to Nebraska after Shorts was hired to replace Garret McGuire in Lincoln.

During fall camp, Key and defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel were awarded the first batch of new single-digit jersey numbers for 2025. The jersey assignments are voted upon by the team to define the "toughest" players on the roster. Key will wear No. 6.

“It was something really special, just knowing that all my teammates welcomed me in,” Key said last week. “It’s a true brotherhood here, and they saw what I came in and did and just went straight to work, and I feel like everybody on the team just respects that. To know that my teammates have my back and they respect me so much, there’s no greater feeling.”

Dane Key catches a heavily contested pass during fall camp. | Nebraska Athletic

“I think Dane did such a great job of coming in as a guy with production in the SEC and being such a hard worker, so humble, rallying that position,” Rhule said earlier this month.

Key already has made a connection with returning starting quarterback Dylan Raiola, calling the sophomore his "brother" during Raiola's summer football camp in Lincoln. The signal caller shared the same feeling about one of his new targets.

“I love Dane,” Raiola said. “Dane will probably be in my wedding one day.”

Wide receiver Dane Key (6) of the Kentucky Wildcats scored the Wildcats' second touchdown — Dane Key scores against Vanderbilt last season. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Huskers open the 2025 season on Thursday, Aug. 28, as they take on Cincinnati at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. CDT on ESPN and the Huskers Radio Network.

.@DaneKey06 ➡️ Senior Bowl Top 300 👀 pic.twitter.com/tNO8QKJd8n
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) August 20, 2025

Nebraska Football 2025 Schedule

Aug. 28 (Thursday) vs. Cincinnati (Kansas City) 8 p.m. ESPN
Sep. 6 vs. Akron 6:30 p.m. CDT BTN
Sep. 13 vs. Houston Christian 11 a.m. FS1
Sep. 20 vs. Michigan 2:30 p.m. CBS
Oct. 4 vs. Michigan State 11/2:30/3
Oct. 11 at Maryland TBA
Oct. 17 (Friday) at Minnesota 7 p.m. FOX
Oct. 25 vs. Northwestern TBA
Nov. 1 vs. USC TBA
Nov. 8 at UCLA TBA
Nov. 22 at Penn State TBA
Nov. 28 (Black Friday) vs. Iowa 11 a.m. CBS

Home games are bolded. All times central.

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