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Nebraska Extends Scholarship Offer to Rising 4-Star Edge Defender

Santana Harvey, an industry four-star defensive line prospect, is ranked as the No. 137 overall player in the 2027 cycle.
Trevor Tarr|
The Lakeland, FL native has earned scholarship offers from 27 Division I schools.
The Lakeland, FL native has earned scholarship offers from 27 Division I schools. | @d1.tana/Instagram

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Nebraska Cornhuskers

Now that transfer portal recruiting is largely over, Nebraska isn't interested in taking a backseat to anyone on the high school recruiting trail.

With nearly every coach on staff hitting the road throughout January, the Huskers are searching far and wide for difference-makers in the 2027 class. That is where a player like Santana Harvey comes in, specifically for coaches Roy Manning and Rob Aurich.

Implementing a new defensive scheme over the offseason, Nebraska has also added several coaching positions to its staff. While the Huskers replaced an offensive line coach and added a run game coordinator on one side of the ball, they also replaced their defensive line coach and added an edges coach as well. Manning will assume that edges coaching position in Lincoln and looks to have made a will-be senior in the prep ranks a top priority over the coming months.

Harvey, an industry-rated four-star defensive line prospect, is rising fast on recruiting boards nationwide. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, it's not hard to see why. Although the Huskers are the most recent program to extend a scholarship offer, Harvey has already earned one from 27 Division I schools.

With five other conference foes in the race to secure his commitment, the Florida native has no shortage of options, including some of the best programs in college football in 2025. Nebraska will have to battle the likes of Florida State, Auburn, Texas A&M and Indiana for his signature in December.

Though new to the game in terms of his recruitment, the Huskers' new staff will not let that slow them down. Nebraska's 2027 recruiting class has gotten off to a hot start, and this staff is striving to continue its momentum over the 2026 offseason. Harvey's offer and potential visit would go a long way toward doing just that.

To date, Nebraska boasts the No. 5 overall class in the 2027 cycle, with two players who are on their way to potentially being bumped to five-star status. Headlined by quarterback commit Trae Taylor (No. 36 overall) and defensive back Tory Pittman III (No. 31 overall), the Huskers have secured six verbal pledges and are already well on their way toward surpassing the 2026 class in additions.

Of the six pledges, Nebraska has already gained one from a defensive line prospect. Jayden Travers, a three-star recruit from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, committed to the Huskers last month. At 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, Travers appears to be more likely slotted into an interior role for the Big Red. The frame he carries would allow him to add significant mass in a college strength and conditioning program and would help address a position of need for the Huskers.

Playing at a position of need, the edge prospect would have an opportunity to see the field early on in his career for the Big Red, especially considering the length and speed he already offers as a high school recruit. Nonetheless, Nebraska will continue recruiting defensive linemen with a level of emphasis like never before, and if they can convince Harvey to see campus over the coming months, it would enhance their chances of securing his commitment.

For now, they build the foundation of their relationship with the promising young defender, but don't be surprised if things pick up relatively quickly as summer approaches. The 2026 class saw a dramatic uptick in recruiting aggression during the summer months, and that might happen again. Taking advantage of everything Lincoln has to offer is a wise move, and the 2027 class has the potential to spark a turning point under the current staff. Recruiting success with Harvey would only suggest that even more.

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Trevor Tarr
TREVOR TARR

Trevor Tarr is the founder of Skers Scoop, a Nebraska football media outlet delivering original coverage through writing, graphics, and video content. He began his career in collegiate athletics at the University of South Dakota, producing media for the football team and assisting with athletic fundraising. A USD graduate with a background in journalism and sports marketing, Trevor focuses on creative, fan-driven storytelling in college football.

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