Three Fourth-Year Nebraska Players Ready to Break Out in 2026

Matt Rhule and 26 players on the Huskers' roster are heading into their fourth seasons of college football in 2026. However, these three are the ones I expect to take the biggest jump this fall.

Cam Lenhardt prepares for the snap against the Michigan Wolverines. | @cam11lenhardt/Instagram

Four years into their collegiate careers, it's time for these three Huskers to break out.

In fact, I'd go as far as saying this trio of expected contributors could define the Big Red's season in 2026.

Regardless, Nebraska heads into the fall with 26 players on its roster entering their fourth year of eligibility. As one of the oldest teams in the Big Ten, NU will need to see a jump in production from its veterans to take the next step.

Here are the players I expect to do just that, and what it could mean for the Huskers this fall.

Previously Covered: First-Year Players, Second-Year Players, Third-Year Players

Cam Lenhardt during a media day photoshoot in Nebraska's new jerseys before the start of fall camp. | Nebraska Athletics

Cam Lenhardt- Edge

All 6-foot-3, 265 pounds of senior edge Cam Lenhardt of Staten Island, New York, will need to be used to Nebraska's advantage in 2026. Frankly, I believe it will.

To this point in the fourth-year defender's career, he's played in 36 games, including 13 starts. However, there's no denying that his impact hasn't quite been what was initially expected. Lenhardt burst onto the scene in 2023 and earned Freshman All-American Honorable Mention recognition after totaling 16 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks in 10 games as a true freshman.

Since then, he's recorded 39 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Technically speaking, his most disruptive season came in 2023. Though, if you haven't guessed it by now, I believe that changes this fall.

NU's move to a four-down defensive front bodes well for Lenhardt's expected role. He'll get back to playing the position that made him a high school All-American at IMG Academy in Florida. Expect him to see the field as much as he ever has at the collegiate level, and with an increased snap count in 2026, I think his production will follow suit.

Jamir Conn during a photoshoot before the start of fall camp. | Nebraska Athletics

Jamir Conn- Defensive Back

Jamir Conn, formerly of Lee's Summit North High School (MO), is a player I believe will have the biggest impact of his career in 2026. As a junior in 2025, Conn saw the field in all 13 games for the Big Red, though his role was largely limited to special teams, as Nebraska finished the season ranked No. 3 nationally against the pass.

However, with several members of the Huskers' secondary having moved on to the NFL, Conn will now have the opportunity to see the field on the defensive side of the ball. It wasn't a lack of talent that kept him off the field; the 5-foot-11, 185-pound defensive back was simply stuck behind a roster full of players who had yet to turn pro.

Entering his fourth season of college football, Conn has played in a total of 36 games, including 11 starts. As far as experience goes, he's one of the most veteran players in his position room and will finally have the opportunity to prove his worth in pass coverage in 2026.

He's repeatedly been spoken highly of throughout the offseason, and all signs point to him being a player the Huskers rely on this fall. If the comments made by his fellow teammates and coaches are true, Conn will be a player Nebraska fans get to know well over the season ahead.

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

Anthony Colandrea- Quarterback

To fourth-year signal-caller Anthony Colandrea's credit, he's already "broken out" in 2025. However, making the move up to the Big Ten after being named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year a season ago, Colandrea still has a ton to prove.

In 13 games as a junior, the Florida native totaled 4,108 all-purpose yards and scored 33 total touchdowns. Entering the 2026 season, he's not only one of the most productive quarterbacks in the sport since the start of his career, but he's one of the most experienced as well. Colandrea's coming up on 8,700 career all-purpose yards before he even takes a snap for the Big Red. He's also started 31 games.

Nebraska will go as far as the 6-foot, 200-pound signal-caller will take them in 2026. Sure, it's a lot of pressure for a quarterback who hasn't played at the Power Four level since 2024, yet Matt Rhule, Dana Holgorsen, and seemingly the entire program have gotten behind this guy in just a few months.

If he can convince well over 100 of his teammates, who see him in practice every day, that he's got "it", then I'll believe it as well. Between him, a revamped offensive line, and the players NU was able to retain at wide receiver from 2025, this offense has the capability of becoming significantly more explosive this fall. With Colandrea leading the charge, I expect him to perform within the top third of his position group in the Big Ten.

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