Nebraska Gears Up for Big Junior Day, Continuing Its Efforts for Program-Changing Class

Recruiting in the college football world never stops, especially for a Nebraska program attempting to finish the 2027 class with one of the best hauls in the entire country.

Currently with nation's No. 6 class overall, the Huskers have done a good job to start. However, they will need to continue their early momentum by using the relationships they've built to secure commitments from several of the top players in the country. While there's plenty of time until the December signing period this year, Matt Rhule and Co. are preparing for one of the biggest recruiting weekends of the offseason.

With that in mind, here's everything you need to know about the players expected to be in Lincoln over the final weekend in January.

1. Ahmad Hudson | TE | ★★★★★

UPDATE: This visit has since been canceled. Ahmad Hudson took to social media (X) to say: "It's ok, don't worry. I'll make it up to y'all," presumedly meaning he intends to make it to campus again at a later date.

Hudson has been one of Nebraska's top priority targets since they offered him last March, and the indication is that the Huskers remain heavily in the mix. Listed as the No. 19 overall player in 2027 and the top tight end in the country, the Louisiana native has athleticism and playmaking ability that separates him from the rest of the pack.

With a strong basketball background, Hudson is also a four-star prospect as a power forward. At 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds, he can do it all, and both Matt Rhule and Fred Hoiberg are working to bring him in. After visiting Lincoln multiple times, his commitment is firmly within the reach of the Big Red. However, there's little doubt that his talents will not come cheap.

Hudson's relationship with current Nebraska commits is likely what's fueled his interest in the program. With offers from seemingly all the top programs in the country, his recruitment will likely come down to the Huskers needing to beat out LSU and Texas A&M.

2. Tory Pittman III | S | ★★★★★

Tory Pittman, the No. 1 overall prospect in Nebraska, has been committed to the Big Red since August. However, he isn't your average in-state recruit. Ranked as the No. 30 player nationally, the Omaha Central safety has become one of the highest-rated players the state has ever produced.

If his ranking stands, he'll become the second consecutive five-star defensive back the Huskers have added in as many years. That's a major credit to defensive backs coach Addison Williams for his job on the recruiting trail, regardless of Pittman being in Nebraska's backyard.

Currently, Pittman is the most highly touted recruit the Huskers have in their 2027 class, but if he and his teammates have a say, it will not end up that way. Between the staff and the players already committed to Nebraska, there's an understanding that this cycle has the potential to change the trajectory of the program, and everyone involved seems to be pulling in the same direction to make that happen one day at a time.

3. Kesean Bowman | WR | ★★★★★

When you have the No. 4 quarterback in the class already committed, it tends to draw the interest of some of the nation's top pass-catchers as well. Similar to Hudson, Kesean Bowman appears to be the latest in a growing group of offensive weapons that Nebraska has been able to open its doors to because of Trae Taylor. Ranked as the No. 32 overall player in 2027, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound wideout already has a relationship with his potential college quarterback.

After spending time developing chemistry together on the 7-on-7 circuit, as both Taylor and Bowman played for the "Cold Hearts", the sixth-ranked wide receiver in the class will now join his former teammate in Lincoln this weekend to see what Nebraska has to offer. His relationship with the staff is relatively new, but his decision to join the visitors list for junior day speaks volumes about his interest in the program.

Originally committed to Oregon, Bowman had since reopened his recruitment. Earlier this week, the five-star also decided to push back his re-commitment date from mid-February to a later, unknown date. While it doesn't ensure the Huskers are in the mix, it does appear Bowman is at least giving them a chance. This weekend will be a big opportunity for wide receivers coach Dakiel Shorts and Taylor to reel him in.

4. Trae Taylor | QB | ★★★★

Here's the man of the hour, so to speak, at least in terms of importance within the foundation of the Huskers' 2027 recruiting class. It appears Nebraska will go as far as Taylor will take them, and despite the flashy facilities and historical status, recruits need to be convinced that choosing Lincoln is not a mistake. Taylor's commitment, as the No. 4 quarterback in the cycle, helps calm uncertainty for fellow recruits.

The soon-to-be senior signal caller recently announced his decision to transfer to a Nebraska high school ahead of the 2026 school year as well. For various reasons, including NIL opportunities and peer recruiting, Taylor is essentially doubling down on his commitment to the Big Red.

His role in recruiting this class is arguably as important as that of any coach on staff. Vetting top prospects is just as important as anything he will eventually do on the field, though that day will likely come sooner than expected as well.

5. Semaj Stanford | S | ★★★★

As the weekend draws closer, has Nebraska locked in a visit from four-star safety Semaj Stanford. Listed as the No. 162 overall player in the class and the 17th-best player at his position, the Huskers have been vetting the Oklahoma native almost as long as any other Division I program.

At 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, Stanford may be a bit undersized, but new defensive coordinator Rob Aurich has shown that matters little to him. The soon-to-be senior shows a lot of the same instincts as Dwayne McDougle from San Diego State, who joined the Huskers via the transfer portal this offseason.

It appears the Big Red will have to fend off the in-state Sooners for his commitment. But don't let that distract you from the fact that Nebraska is very much in the race. Between defensive backs coach Addison Williams and safeties coach Miles Taylor, Stanford has plenty of reason to believe his position coaches have the potential to turn him into the NFL talent he projects to be.

6. Kyler Kuhn | IOL | ★★★★

After the 2025 season saw a massive influx of former Kansas City-area prospects join the Huskers' ranks via both high school and the transfer portal, Nebraska is dipping back into the regional hotbed once again. This time, the Big Red are chasing one of the top interior offensive linemen in America.

Leading the charge are Geep Wade and Lonnie Teasley, and the Huskers appear to be ahead of the pack early on. Kyler Kuhn, the No. 9 interior offensive line prospect in the class, is set to visit over the weekend. After Nebraska became the first Power Conference school to offer him last January, the two sides' relationship has only gotten stronger.

Now, looking to get to know the new position staff, the 6-foot-3, 280-pounder will come to Lincoln one week after visiting Penn State. The Missouri native has a growing list of 20+ Division I scholarships and is expected to only continue to climb the recruiting ranks with a senior season to further develop.

7. Timi Aliu | OT | ★★★★

Wade and Teasley are also trending for four-star tackle prospect Timi Aliu after securing a junior day visit earlier this week. Listed as the No. 26 tackle in the class, the Georgia native projects to be an impactful player at his next stop. That is reflected in his growing list of 22+ Division I scholarship offers.

The 6-foot-4, 295-pound offensive linemen appears to have Nebraska in the mix with Auburn for his eventual commitment, but it appears the Huskers need to make up some ground. That's where this weekend becomes so pivotal.

Aliu was offered by Wade last October when the coach was still at Georgia Tech, so that relationship carries over. Now it'll be up to the Big Red to make a statement this weekend in hopes that it provides them an opportunity to get him back on campus this fall.

8. Amir Brown | RB | ★★★★

Amir Brown was a welcome surprise to the class, at least in terms of the timing of his decision. After being offered by Nebraska in late September of 2025, the four-star running back announced his commitment to the Big Red less than two months later. At 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, the North Carolina native is bulky but surprisingly quick, and he has also shown the home-run ability the Huskers undoubtedly need moving forward.

A consensus top 350 recruit, Brown chose the Huskers over 31 other Division I schools. His decommitment from in-state North Carolina paved the way for Nebraska to reel in a top 30 player in the position group.

Emmett Johnson's stellar 2025 season as a Husker likely stoked Brown's interest in the program, and Nebraska parlayed that success into locking him in. Brown's commitment gives the Huskers their lone running back, and it appears it will stay that way.

9. Tay Ellis | WR | ★★★

Antayvious Ellis recently made headlines by announcing his decision to follow Taylor to Millard South High School in Omaha next fall. Motived in part by a desire to peer-recruit more effectively, their early move to the state will enable them to be present at events very much like the one they will attend this weekend.

Ranked as the No. 411 overall prospect in the class, the 6-foot, 175-pound wideout from Texas has ball skills that are clearly on display on his film. A bit of a burner as well, Ellis competed in the USATF Junior Olympics regionals in 2024 and offers the speed that few can match in the open field.

Having started a podcast together and then deciding to become teammates a year earlier than expected, Ellis and Taylor already have a close relationship. For now, Ellis the lone pass catcher in Nebraska's class, but he almost certainly will not be the last.

10. Matt Erickson | OL | ★★★

Nebraska was able to get in earlier than most on Millard North's Matt Erickson, an in-state-recruit and Husker legacy. To their credit, it paid off, as the 6-foot-8, 280-pound tackle prospect committed to the Big Red in September of last year.

Under new offensive line coach Geep Wade and run game coordinator Lonnie Teasley, Erickson has as much potential as arguably any recruit in the class. His length is something to take note of right away, and it will ultimately come down to the strength and conditioning aspect of his game before he sees the field.

For now, the No. 6 player in the state is the lone offensive line recruit committed to the Huskers. But if recent recruiting activity is any indication, it is not this staff's intent for him to be the last. On paper, Erickson has a ton of promise. Here's to seeing how his development takes place.

11. Waylon Wooten | DL | ★★★

The Huskers are dipping back into the state of Georgia for one of the most undervalued interior defensive linemen in the class. At 6-foot-2 and 300 pounds, Waylon Wooten offers the size and frame that SEC schools are beginning to love; however, Nebraska is hoping that getting in on him early in the process bodes well.

One of the most recent prospects to be confirmed as a visitor this weekend, the will-be senior already had an existing relationship with new defensive line coach Corey Brown. After offering the three-star prospect last March, the two had built a relationship that has now led to his tentative arrival in Lincoln this weekend.

Proximity to home is not in the Huskers' favor, and so too is his rising stock. However, securing a visit when they did should provide a major boost in Wooten's confidence about the program despite little to no existing relationship with the staff outside of Brown. Battling Florida and Auburn, Nebraska will have to make up ground to rein him in on signing day, but that's exactly why these sorts of events exist.

12. Barrett Kitrell | OL | N/A

A quick riser in the 2027 class is Barrett Kitrell of Ashland-Greenwood High School, about halfway between Lincoln and Omaha. The most recent prospect to be confirmed on the junior day list has become a priority for the staff in recent weeks. After the offensive linemen received his offer earlier this month, it appears the relationship has quickly taken the next step.

During the last four months, the 6-foot-4, 270-pound lineman has earned scholarship offers from eight Division I schools. While the Huskers appear to be leading the pack, Kitrell is definitely a growing commodity across the Midwest.

Kitrell appears to be suited for the interior of the line. If he were to commit, he would join Erickson as the second in-state player on the line of scrimmage for the class.

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