What's Left and What's Next for Nebraska's Running Back Room?

The Huskers have lost a third of their running backs, without a single player exhausting his eligibility. Here's a look at who is currently expected to return and some intriguing names that are still in the transfer portal.

Emmett Johnson is turning pro, while multiple other running backs are leaving the program via the transfer portal. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Nebraska football had nine running backs on the roster for the 2025 season, without a single senior.

Now, a third of that group is gone.

With Emmett Johnson off to the NFL and Jamarion Parker and Kenneth Williams leaving via the transfer portal, here is what the rest of the running back room looks like for Nebraska at the midway point of the portal cycle.

Isaiah Mozee

Mozee was one of the top wide receivers in the country when he signed out of Lee's Summit North High School a year ago. But once he got to campus, the lack of top running back depth forced his conversion to running back.

Michigan State Spartans defensive lineman Ben Roberts attempts to tackle Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Isaiah Mozee. | Kylie Graham-Imagn Images

While doing more work as a ball carrier than initially planned, he ran for 115 yards on 26 carries. He also had 14 receptions for 155 yards. Appearing in all 13 games, he also got work out of the slot after the loss of Janiran Bonner in the season opener.

Mehki Nelson

Nebraska's second-leading rusher in 2025, Nelson had his best game in the Las Vegas Bowl. Against No. 15 Utah, he ran for 88 yards and one touchdown, adding three receptions for 48 yards.

But those 136 yards accounted for 54.6% of his production on the season. Across the 11 other games he appeared in, he had 15 carries for 59 yards and five receptions for 54 yards.

Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Mekhi Nelson is hoisted by tight end Carter Nelson after scoring a touchdown against the Akron Zips during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Kwinten Ives

Going into the spring of 2025, Ives seemed to have the No. 2 spot behind Johnson locked down. Without a transfer being added at the position in the spring, either, he was poised to have that position going into the fall.

But in preseason camp, Ives suffered a setback with an injury that knocked him down the depth chart and saw him appear in just eight games during the season. In those appearances, he carried the ball 20 times for 133 yards, good for third-best on the team.

Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Kwinten Ives runs for a touchdown against the Akron Zips. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Conor Booth

One of the most prolific running backs to come out of Nebraska, Booth accounted for more than 6,000 rushing yards and 100 touchdowns during his career at Wahoo Bishop Neumann. As a Husker, he only played in the blowouts over Akron and Houston Christian while redshirting.

Izaac Dickey

A small-town Nebraska kid, Dickey also only saw action against Akron and Houston Christian this fall. He spent his redshirt season without a snap in 2024.

Vincent Genatone

Out of North Platte, Nebraska, Genatone began his career as a linebacker at Montana. He redshirted in 2022 and saw action on special teams in 2023 as part of a Griz team that reached the FCS national championship game.

Genatone transferred to Nebraska and has remained a special teams player, playing in 24 games across two seasons. He switched to running back ahead of the 2025 season, resulting in one carry for one yard against Houston Christian.

Jamal Rule

The only running back addition of the 2026 class, Rule was a three-star prospect out of North Carolina. He rushed for more than 1,200 yards as both a junior and senior at Charlotte Christian, averaging more than 160 rushing yards per game.

Transfer Portal Potential

Of the top 50 rated transfer running backs from 247Sports, 19 remain uncommitted. Nebraska did not add one from either window last year, but many would like to see the team prioritize this position this time around.

The transfers range from Baylor's Bryson Washington and LSU's Caden Durham at the top and Colorado's Dallan Hayden and Florida State's Gavin Sawchuk just inside the top 50.

Three intriguing names are Kansas State's Dylan Edwards, Kentucky's Dante Dowdell and Minnesota's Fame Ijeboi.

Edwards, who began his career at Colorado, had an offer from Nebraska and visited Lincoln in 2022. After rushing for 546 yards and five touchdowns, adding 19 receptions for 133 yards and two more scores, in 2024, he followed that up with just four games of action in 2025. His final Wildcat season included a 166-yard effort against UCF.

Dante Dowdell was Nebraska's leading rusher in 2024. He's now in the transfer portal for the third time in his collegiate career. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Dowdell was Nebraska's leading rusher in 2024 but elected to hit the portal for the second time in his career. The former Oregon Duck saw his numbers take a step back this fall at Kentucky, with his carries, rushing yards and touchdowns all falling below his numbers as a Cornhusker.

Ijeboi is ranked outside the top 50 at the position, but he's another player who had a Nebraska offer out of high school. After redshirting in 2024, he rushed for 441 yards and two touchdowns in 2025. This past season also saw him catch 12 passes for 54 yards and a score.

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.

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