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Nebraska Lands Third Transfer Portal Offensive Line Target

Paul Mubenga comes to Nebraska after starting in 11 games for LSU in his career.
Trevor Tarr|
Paul Mubenga (65) becomes Nebraska's 16th commitment of the offseason.
Paul Mubenga (65) becomes Nebraska's 16th commitment of the offseason. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

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Despite the three-day dead period that began on Jan. 13, the Huskers were still able to secure a much-needed commitment along the offensive line.

On Tuesday morning, Paul Mubenga, formerly of Louisiana State, committed to the Big Red, marking the 16th addition of the offseason. With 15 of those commitments coming via the transfer portal, and one from the junior college ranks, Nebraska seems to be getting eerily close to the end of the haul. However, with four whole days left to complete their class, this staff's job is not quite done.

The news signals a big recruiting win for the duo of Geep Wade and Lonnie Teasley, who will be tasked with coaching the offensive line next fall. And the former Tiger looks to be on the fast track towards earning a starting role for their group in 2026.

A former three-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle, Mubenga arrived at LSU viewed as one of the program’s most intriguing developmental pieces. A native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he did not begin playing football until his freshman year of high school. However, his rapid rise led him to Georgia high school football powerhouse Buford, where he became a fixture on the offensive line.

Mubenga did not see game action during his true freshman season, a typical path for young offensive linemen, particularly for players as raw as him. Listed at 6-foot-4, 320 pounds, he showed clear physical growth and technical improvement heading into 2024. That development translated to the field, as he appeared in 10 games with five starts, all coming at left guard. According to LSU’s official player profile, the redshirt freshman surrendered just two sacks over 275 pass-blocking snaps.

Entering the 2025 season, Mubenga continued to build on that foundation and began to resemble the player LSU envisioned during his recruitment. Despite midseason coaching changes, he earned six additional starts while again playing in 10 games. With 20 career appearances and 11 starts to his name, the soon-to-be junior brings a combination of experience, size, and upside that made him one of the more attractive interior offensive linemen that was available in the transfer portal this cycle.

To date, Nebraska has also added two other offensive line targets, who, like Mubenga, enter the 2026 season believed to be in line for a starting role. The Huskers lost three former starters after the 2025 season came to a close, along with Teddy Prochazka, who had also started games for the Big Red in his career. Replacing those players was going to be a must, and with the third commitment to the position group, it appears Nebraska has done a good job in adding reinforcements to Wade and Teasley's new group.

The first commitment was from Brendan Black, who spent all three of his previous seasons at Iowa State. As a Cyclone, the 6-foot-4, 320-pound interior piece started in a total of 30 games. He comes to Lincoln with one year of eligibility remaining and will likely take over former starter Rocco Spindler's job at right guard.

Teasley was also able to secure a commitment from Tree Babalade, who followed his former offensive line coach to Nebraska from South Carolina. To this point in his career, the tackle prospect has started in 15 collegiate games. As a Husker, Babalade will have two years of eligibility remaining and looks to take over Turner Corcoran's starting right tackle role next fall.

The combination of these three prospects provides the Huskers with a breath of fresh air at a position group that was in need. Whether all three do end up in starting roles in 2026 remains to be seen, but it does appear that Nebraska has officially figured out its starting unit heading into spring ball.

With four days left, this position group may be done; however, adding depth is never out of the picture. For now, it appears this staff has the luxury of shifting its focus to more pressing matters at other positions along its roster. Running back and defensive line still stand out.

Despite three additions on both sides of the line of scrimmage, that is where this team needed to improve the most over the coming months. And with the commitments they've secured, it does seem reasonable to suggest that improvements will be made. There's plenty of room to grow before the first game of 2026, but from an experience standpoint, Nebraska seems to be moving in the right direction up front.

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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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