Why Nebraska Believes Tree Babalade Can Anchor Its Offensive Line

Nebraska’s pursuit of transfer offensive tackle Tree Babalade wasn’t just about adding size to the room. It was about finding a long‑term developmental piece that fits the identity Geep Wade is building in Lincoln.

At 6‑5 and nearly 330 pounds, Babalade arrives with the raw traits coaches covet. He offers length, natural power, and the kind of athletic ceiling that can be molded into a Big Ten contributor. Under Wade, those traits won’t just be appreciated. They’ll be sharpened at a high level.

As a transfer, he enters the 2026 cycle with an 87 rating in the 247Sports Transfer Rankings, checking in at No. 280 overall and among the top offensive tackles on the portal (No. 21).

A fourth‑year offensive lineman, he brings meaningful experience after appearing in 22 career games with 15 starts over the past three seasons. He’s shown valuable position flexibility, opening his career as a true freshman starter at left tackle in 2023 before redshirting in 2024 and shifting primarily to right tackle in 2025 for South Carolina. After the season, he chose to enter the transfer portal in search of a new opportunity.

New #Nebraska OL Tree Babalade (Bah-Bah-Lah-Day) got his nickname from a youth football coach because he was bigger than everybody.

He considers Lonnie Teasley a role model

Now, he's hoping to be a leader in the #Huskers' OL room

READ: https://t.co/weVyXGS2RW pic.twitter.com/hP623SkSKe
— Justin Frommer (@JustinbFrommer) January 8, 2026

The Hyattsville, Maryland, native was named 247Sports’ True Freshman of the Week after earning a 90 PFF pass‑blocking grade, the fourth‑best mark among all offensive tackles during his starting debut at Georgia.

His time in Columbia ultimately served as a bridge, gaining SEC experience, learning how to prepare like a college starter, and proving he could contribute in meaningful moments. Those lessons now travel with him to Nebraska, where a fresh opportunity and a new coaching voice await.

Wade’s track record centers on transforming high-upside linemen into technically sound, physically dominant players who can survive the grind of Big Ten trench play. His system emphasizes leverage, inside-hand control, consistent footwork, and finishing ability, all areas where Babalade shows flashes but still has room to grow.

Early in his Nebraska tenure, expect Wade to focus on refining Babalade’s strike timing, improving his balance through contact, and tightening his pass‑set angles to handle the conference’s edge speed.

Where Babalade already fits seamlessly is in the run game. His natural power and ability to displace defenders align with Wade’s preference for a physical, downhill approach. With improved pad level and more efficient footwork, he projects as a tackle who can generate movement on gap schemes and still reach and seal on outside zone, two staples of Wade’s playbook.

The developmental upside is significant. With a full offseason in Wade’s program, Babalade has the chance to evolve from a traits-based transfer into a polished, reliable tackle who can compete for meaningful snaps. Nebraska doesn’t need him to be a finished product on day one, but they need him to grow into a player who raises the room’s overall ceiling. Under Wade’s guidance, Babalade has a clear path to doing exactly that.

Babalade’s move to Nebraska marks the start of a new chapter, one where his SEC-tested foundation, positional versatility, and natural power meet the developmental structure of Wade’s offensive line room.

If he continues to stack technique, consistency, and confidence, he has every opportunity to grow into a reliable Big Ten tackle and a long-term piece of the Huskers’ identity up front.

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