Nebraska Lands Transfer Edge Rusher from UCLA

Nebraska added another key piece to its defensive rebuild as former UCLA edge rusher Anthony Jones committed to the Huskers on Thursday, giving Matt Rhule’s staff an experienced, high‑upside portal addition who can immediately bolster the pass‑rush rotation.

Jones brings extensive experience to Nebraska, having appeared in 37 games and made 14 starts across four seasons at UCLA (2025), Michigan State (2024), Indiana (2023) and Oregon (2022). Over his career, he has totaled 58 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and 10 quarterback hurries, showcasing steady production at every stop.

While at UCLA, Jones emerged as a steady presence off the edge, playing in 11 games and making 10 starts while leading the Bruins with four quarterback hurries and tying for the team lead with 1.5 sacks. He totaled 20 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a pass breakup, missing only the Penn State matchup due to injury.

GBR! pic.twitter.com/kOjt2N1pYm
— Anthony Jones (@anthonyjones015) January 8, 2026

In 2024, Jones played in all 12 games during his redshirt sophomore season at Michigan State, turning in his most productive campaign yet with career highs in tackles (25), tackles for loss (3.5), sacks (2.0), and quarterback hurries (5). He logged 302 defensive snaps and added 28 more on special teams, emerging as a steady rotational presence for the Spartans.

Jones saw his first extended action in 2023 at Indiana, playing in 12 games with four starts during his redshirt freshman season. He finished with 12 tackles, 0.5 tackle for loss, and a quarterback hurry across 306 defensive snaps, highlighted by a five‑tackle outing at Penn State and additional production against Illinois, Maryland, and Michigan.

The year prior, he redshirted at Oregon after appearing in two games as a true freshman, making his collegiate debut with a solo tackle at Colorado and logging snaps in the Holiday Bowl against North Carolina.

Anthony Jones | Nate Donlevy, UCLA Athletics

At Liberty High School in Nevada, Jones emerged as one of the state’s top all‑around athletes, earning an 88 rating from 247Sports as an ATH prospect. He finished ranked No. 33 nationally at his position and No. 9 overall in Nevada, showcasing the versatility and athletic upside that made him a coveted recruit out of the Las Vegas area.

Jones projects as a plug‑and‑play rotational edge defender for Nebraska, bringing the kind of experience, physical maturity, and multi‑system background that fits seamlessly into Rob Aurich's aggressive front. With 37 career games across four Big Ten programs, he’s already played in a variety of alignments, stand‑up edge, hand‑in‑the‑dirt end, and hybrid roles, which gives Nebraska flexibility in how they deploy him.

Appears Anthony Jones will have his fifth Big Ten school.

Oregon➡️Indiana➡️Michigan St➡️UCLA➡️Nebraska

Small note, Oregon was PAC-12 at the time. In retrospect, though https://t.co/Uc5PTwCdPc
— Emmett Matasovsky (@E_Matasovsky57) January 7, 2026

His production profile shows steady pressure creation, and his 2025 jump at UCLA suggests he’s still trending upward. In Lincoln, he can help stabilize the edge rotation, provide reliable snaps on early downs, and add a veteran presence to a room that’s been reshaped through the portal. He’s not a pure speed rusher, but his length, motor and experience make him a strong fit for a defense that values versatility, discipline, and physicality at the point of attack.

With a track record of steady production, Jones arrives in Lincoln as a battle‑tested edge defender ready to elevate Nebraska’s defensive front. His addition to the roster further solidifies the Huskers’ momentum in the transfer portal as they continue building a deeper, more dynamic pass‑rush rotation.

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