Who Will Lead Nebraska in Interceptions in 2026? Three Huskers to Watch

The secondary is shaping up as a bright spot again this season, and these three players could become dangerous for opposing QBs.

Donovan Jones celebrates his interception against Northwestern last season. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

After predicting Nebraska's potential sack leader in 2026, it's time to look at which Husker could rack up the most interceptions. The Husker secondary in 2025 was one of the best in the nation, but it managed only six interceptions.

This year, Nebraska's defensive line will aim to force more opponents to throw the ball, perhaps leading to more turnovers. If Nebraska wants to have more defensive success in 2026, interceptions will be essential.

3. CB Dovonan Jones

The first name on the list is "cornerback" Donovan Jones. Jones is a cornerback while also not being a corner. This might sound confusing, but the new 4-2-5 defensive scheme will include two safeties, two corners, and a nickel/hybrid. Jones appears to be in line to be the starting nickel. The versatile defensive back managed only one interception during his freshman season, but he still did well in 2025.

Jones was a key part of a secondary that allowed just 154 passing yards per game, with impressive stats including 59 tackles and five passes defended. This shows he can be a disruptive nickel. A nickel essentially has the responsibilities of both a corner and a linebacker at times (hence the "hybrid"), as the nickel will commonly blitz, stop the run, and defend the tight end and/or the slot receiver in the passing game.

Nebraska's Donovan Jones surveys the Michigan offense last season. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

With the Huskers having some other dangerous defensive backs on the field, it wouldn't be surprising to see teams test Jones. Nebraska lost some key players from its 2025 secondary: cornerback Ceyair Wright and safety DeShon Singleton. But the Huskers also added other names, like dangerous safety Dwayne McDougle III and cornerback Victor Evans III from the transfer portal. Both have valuable experience and have been impressive in the past, which means teams may try to avoid throwing their way, especially McDougle.

There's also the returning corner, Andrew Marshall, who tops the list of players teams will avoid. With Jones likely getting more opportunities than some others, it wouldn't be surprising to see Jones get a few more interceptions in 2026.

2. CB Victor Evans III

As fall camp continues, the hype around the underrated transfer addition Evans has only grown. If Evans wishes to claim the CB2 spot, he has to fend off Jeremiah Charles and Danny Odem. Charles is a returning Husker who is making a push for a starting corner spot in fall camp, while Odem, a five-star recruit and the No. 2 corner in the 2026 class according to 247Sports, has also looked good and should have a chance to get some valuable playing time.

But Evans, a senior with great speed, has been a standout in fall camp. Matt Rhule earlier in August described Evans and his speed: "He ran a 4.31, I mean he's a fast, fast, fast human (and) he's got Florida speed... I think he'll be a factor for us... He'll compete to be a player in the secondary." Speed alone doesn't determine talent, but its nice to have in the Big Ten.

Florida International defensive back Victor Evans III breaks up a pass against Penn State. | Matthew O'Haren, | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was originally thought Evans would be a depth piece for the Huskers, but now it's clear he may be able to take the CB2 spot. Right now, it's fierce competition, but if Evans gets substantial playing time, teams may avoid certain players and test others. Evans is one player who teams might test, at least more than someone like Marshall.

Evans compiled 45 tackles, one interception, and four passes defended for the Florida International Panthers in 2025. These numbers don't jump off the page, but he should get more opportunities, much like Jones, to rack up more stats. Even if teams prefer not to throw into the secondary too much, Evans is probably the best option for testing a DB.

Evans played in 29 games with eight starts in his three seasons at FIU, with all starts coming in 2025. In 2026, he could become a big part of the secondary and get even better — especially in the interception category.

1. S Dwayne McDougle III

The only Husker who comes into 2026 with great numbers from last season is a transfer Dwayne McDougle III. McDougle racked up 51 tackles, three passes defended, one forced fumble, and four interceptions at San Diego State. It's hard to say how McDougle transitions to the Big Ten or whether teams think it's a good idea to test his ability, but four is a nice number for interceptions.

McDougle and followed defensive coordinator Rob Aurich from San Diego State to Nebraska last winter. That makes McDougle one of just a few players who have played in Aurich's 4-2-5 defensive system. Also notable is that McDougle also played at Idaho under Aurich before SDSU and was even teammates with Andrew Marshall (who transferred to Nebraska from Idaho before 2025).

San Diego State transfer Dwayne McDougle is the presumptive starter this season at one of Nebraska's safety spots. | Nebraska Athletics

This doesn't mean McDougle will automatically become a star for the Huskers, but it does make him a little more dangerous. And McDougle is also No. 1 on this list for being the only player in the Huskers' secondary who had more than one INT last season.

But how will he handle the jump from Mountain West Conference competition to the Big Ten? The first three games of the season will be critical to see how the secondary performs and whether someone like McDougle struggles.

The Huskers have yet to field a balanced, strong defense under Matt Rhule. Either the secondary was average or bad (2023-24), or the defensive line was. In the new defensive system, Nebraska aims to become more balanced — and that starts with fixing the defensive line.

Last year's run defense was so poor that some teams hardly even needed to throw. Now it's a new season, and a lot is riding on what happens along the defensive front. If Nebraska stops the run, forces opponents to pass and gets after the quarterback more often, fans can expect to see more passes end up in Husker defenders' hands.

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