PFF Grades and Snap Counts from Nebraska's 24-6 Loss Against Minnesota: Defense

A week after one of the most gritty wins in recent Nebraska football history, the Huskers are sitting at 5-2 (2-2 in conference) following a severely disappointing performance in Minneapolis Friday night. In the loss, Nebraska's defense surrendered 339 total yards of offense, its second-highest margin of the 2025 season.

With the results of the game presenting several questions about the team's direction moving forward, here’s a deeper look at the final Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades and snap counts for every Nebraska defender who saw the field in Friday's road loss.

1. Defensive Line Grades

Defensive Line PFF Grades, Snap Counts against Minnesota. | Trevor Tarr

Sophomore defensive tackle Keona Davis logged his most snaps of the season and made the most of the opportunity, recording Nebraska’s lone sack of the night. Outside of his effort, though, the Huskers’ pass rush was largely quiet, credited with just five quarterback hurries against Minnesota.

Davis finished with six tackles and a half sack, his best performance of the year, but the rest of the defensive front struggled to make an impact. As a unit, Nebraska’s defensive line totaled 16 tackles and was largely ineffective against the run, allowing 186 rushing yards and 5.3 yards per carry.

2. Linebacker Grades

Linebacker PFF Grades, Snap Counts against Minnesota. | Trevor Tarr

Senior linebacker Marques Watson-Trent has quietly put together a strong two-game stretch, totaling 17 tackles over the last two weeks. Now up to 26 tackles and 1.5 sacks on the season, he’s quickly becoming the dependable playmaker Nebraska fans hoped for when he arrived from the transfer portal.

Equally impressive has been senior linebacker Javin Wright, who’s totaled 51 tackles so far this season. For the second straight week, Wright notched a dozen tackles, continuing to establish himself as one of the most reliable tacklers on the defense.

Of note, linebacker Vincent Shavers played just seven defensive snaps after suffering a thumb injury in the first half. In his absence, freshman Dawson Merritt continued to see steady action, having now appeared in all seven games this season. Sophomore Dylan Rogers also saw limited time, logging two snaps in the loss.

3. Defensive Back Grades

Defensive Back PFF Grades, Snap Counts against Minnesota. | Trevor Tarr

Redshirt freshman Donovan Jones turned in his least effective performance of the season, being charged with three missed tackles and allowing four receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. As a unit, Nebraska’s secondary was credited with seven missed tackles, an area that must improve if the Huskers hope to find success in their final five regular-season games.

While not solely responsible for Minnesota’s rushing success, Nebraska’s defensive backs continued to struggle with pursuit angles, allowing four runs of 10-plus yards, including a 71-yarder in the second quarter.

Through the air, the group limited Minnesota to just 153 passing yards, but most of that damage came on short routes that turned into chunk plays after the catch. With missed tackles continuing to pile up, the secondary will need to tighten things up quickly ahead of next week’s matchup with an improving Northwestern team coming to town.

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