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Husker Legacy Announces Intention to Leave Nebraska, Enter the Transfer Portal

After three seasons in Lincoln, defensive lineman Maverick Noonan is set to find a new home.
Kaleb Henry|
Nebraska linebacker Maverick Noonan recovers a fumble against Akron.
Nebraska linebacker Maverick Noonan recovers a fumble against Akron. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

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Nebraska Cornhuskers

A Husker legacy is set to leave Nebraska football.

Maverick Noon, a redshirt sophomore defensive lineman, will enter the transfer portal. He took to social media late on Sunday to make the announcement.

"After a lot of thought and conversations, I've decided that following our bowl game, I will be entering the transfer portal," Noon said. "I'm looking forward to finding a program where I can continue to develop and contribute to winning."

Nebraska takes on No. 15 Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 31. The transfer portal opens on Jan. 2 and runs through Jan. 15.

A three-star prospect out of Elkhorn South High School outside of Omaha, Noonan followed in his father's footsteps by playing for Nebraska. His dad, Danny, was a three-year letterwinner for the Huskers, and as a senior in 1986, Danny was a unanimous first-team All-American and the Big Eight Athlete of the Year. He recorded 140 tackles in his career with 36 TFLs and 25 sacks. A first-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1987 NFL Draft, the elder Noonan went on to play in 73 games in his six-year NFL career.

Maverick's Husker career ends in much less illustrious fashion. A preseason injury caused him to redshirt in 2023. He saw action in three games in both 2024 and 2025, notching one tackle each season. Earlier this fall, he recovered a fumble during the 68-0 rout of Akron.

Noonan's other scholarship offers in high school included Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota, Vanderbilt, Stanford, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Michigan State, and Arizona State.

Known Transfer Portal Departures

Noonan is the fifth known Husker set to enter the transfer portal next month.

The others are defensive back Malcolm Hartzog, defensive back Preston Okafor, freshman running back Jamarion Parker, freshman safety Caden VerMaas, and sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola. Out of that group, only Hartzog and Raiola were starters, with both having their 2025 campaigns come to a close prematurely via injuries.

Returning Edge Talent

Despite being among the nation’s top 40 edge rushers by Rivals as a prospect, Noonan struggled to crack the depth chart during his time in Lincoln. On the depth chart for the regular-season finale against Iowa, redshirt freshman Williams Nwaneri, junior Cameron Lenhardt, and true freshman Kade Pietrzak filled out the three-deep at defensive end. That's the same list for the upcoming bowl game.

At the jack position, edge rushers with linebacker versatility to drop into coverage, sophomores Dylan Rogers and Willis McGahee IV are the two-deep for the Las Vegas Bowl. Dasan McCullough was the starter there during the season, although he will miss the bowl game as he prepares for senior bowls and his professional future.

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Kaleb Henry
KALEB HENRY

Kaleb Henry is an award-winning sports reporter, covering collegiate athletics since 2014 via radio, podcasting, and digital journalism. His experience with Big Ten Conference teams goes back more than a decade, including time covering programs such as the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oregon Ducks, and USC Trojans. He has contributed to Sports Illustrated since 2021. Kaleb has won multiple awards for his sports coverage from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association. Prior to working in sports journalism, Kaleb was a Division I athlete on the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Track and Field team where he discussed NCAA legislation as SIUE's representative to the Ohio Valley Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. 

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