Three Former Huskers Projected for NFL Draft

Three former Nebraska football players are projected to be selected in the NFL Draft according to a recent ESPN seven-round mock draft. Only one, running back Emmett Johnson, is predicted to be selected in the top 100.

Johnson, cornerback Ceyair Wright and safety DeShon Singleton are forecast to be drafted later this month by ESPN’s Matt Miller.

First, a quick (and necessary) note about mock drafts. It is difficult enough to nail the first-rounders and their proper order. One trade blows up the experts’ projections. Making accurate selections deeper in the draft is even more complicated. But mock drafts provide a valuable GPS to a player’s relative value and the interest they are generating.

The NFL Draft will be held April 23 to 26 in Pittsburgh, in what has increasingly become a hugely popular event for fans along with, of course, the players who are drafted.

Emmett Johnson to the Jaguars?

Miller has Johnson going in the third round to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who acquired the pick from the Detroit Lions. Johnson would be the 100th pick overall.

Analyst Lance Zierlein, of NFL. com, wrote about Johnson’s draft possibilities: “Johnson is a hard-charging, gap-scheme runner. He brings a steady dose of urgency, decisiveness and fairly predictable run tracks."

“Johnson’s production and game-by-game consistency stand out despite average size and top-end speed. He steps on the accelerator once he touches the ball, but the run becomes segmented when he attempts to cut laterally.

“He struggles to create for himself when the point of entry is cloudy. Johnson can beat linebackers to the run fit but won’t usually run through them with power. He’s able to help as a pass-catcher and projects as a solid backup best suited for downhill concepts.”

Johnson had an outstanding 2025 season for the Huskers. He was named the Big Ten Running Back of the Year after a regular season in which he gained 1,451 yards — best in the conference and fourth in the nation — and scored 12 touchdowns on the ground. Johnson also caught 46 passes for 370 yards and three touchdowns.

Johnson earned All-America honors from four media outlets. He opted out of Nebraska’s bowl game against Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl, a 44-22 loss on New Year’s Eve. Nebraska had its second consecutive 7-6 season in 2025.

Three running backs were projected to be drafted ahead of Johnson — Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love (fourth overall), Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price (49th overall), and Arkansas’ Mike Washington (64th overall).

Ceyair Wright to the Eagles?

Wright is projected to be a sixth-round pick, 197th overall, by the 2024 Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

According to nfldraftbuzz.com, Wright’s strengths include:

* Reads receivers’ routes and anticipates throws at the first down marker. Covers a lot of ground in a hurry when in space. Reads the quarterback’s eyes and sees the routes very quickly, then has straight-line speed to arrive with or just after the ball.
* Closing speed and willingness to make the big hit make him one of the more versatile safeties in the class.
* Rare hand-eye coordination and agility, vision and third gear to make a living in the return game.
* His ball skills are very good. Wright tracks the ball well downfield and has the hands and coordination to come away with interceptions even when Wright isn’t targeted often.
* Closes to the ball quite well and possesses the hands to snatch throws away from his frame.
* Fast and agile, he sticks to receivers and closes on the ball.

The website also listed what it believes are Wright’s weaknesses:

* Has poor recognition skills when facing the action in zone coverage.
* Holds the ball loosely. Inconsistent in run support. Average tackler.
* At this point, Wright can get outmuscled. Wright also might be susceptible to catch-and-run plays.
* He’ll give effort in run support, but he’s going to struggle to get off blocks against physical outside receivers.

Wright, who is from Los Angeles and has acted professionally, transferred to Nebraska before the 2024 season after three seasons at USC. Wright had 109 tackles at Nebraska with two interceptions and 11 passes defended.

DeShon Singleton to the Browns?

The safety is projected to be drafted in the sixth round, the 206th player overall, by the Cleveland Browns.

Zierlein wrote about Singleton’s draft situation: “Singleton is a big, long safety best suited for condensed spaces. He sees the field with clear eyes in zone and is assignment-oriented when matching up on tight ends.

“He isn’t quick enough to stay in phase with NFL wideouts and lacks the instincts/closing burst to consistently finish on the football from depth. It makes sense to play him near the line in run support, as his downhill pursuit angles are often frenetic and come at too high a risk. Special-teams value could be the key to him making a roster as a fourth safety.”

Singleton started all 12 regular-season games in 2025. He was a four-year player at Nebraska after starting his college career at Hutchinson (Kan.) CC.

He had 163 tackles and three interceptions in 42 games.

In the 2025 draft, Nebraska had two players selected — defensive tackle Ty Robinson in the fourth round (111th overall) and tight end Thomas Fidone in the seventh round (219th overall) by the New York Giants. No Huskers were selected in the 2024 draft.

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