Nebraska Loses Commitment of 2026 Quarterback Recruit

After securing a promising commitment from four-star defensive tackle prospect Dylan Berymon on Wednesday morning, it seemed the Huskers were preparing to put a bow on the 2026 recruiting class in a very exciting way.

However, a three-star prospect who was also expected to sign Wednesday had a change of heart. Tanner Vibabul, who pledged to the Big Red in mid-January, is headed instead to James Madison University.

While reasons for the decision are speculative, here are the latest details on what the Huskers plan' at quarterback will be moving forward without the young prospect from Nevada.

🚨BREAKING🚨 QB Tanner Vibabul has flipped his commitment from Nebraska to James Madison, he tells Rivals👑

Read: https://t.co/cRv2UNsfSi https://t.co/bal5PRNna6 pic.twitter.com/LxovUzxbuk
— Rivals (@Rivals) February 5, 2026

Vibabul was the definition of a late add, yet was one in which many surrounding the program felt extremely optimistic about. Coming off a senior season that saw the dual-threat signal-caller total nearly 3,400 all-purpose yards and 44 touchdowns, his tape didn't leave much more to be desired.

Instead, Nebraska's staff, and other members of the media like myself, were amazed at how under-the-radar the gunslinger had flown. Before his recruitment from the Huskers staff, Vibabul was set to decide between the likes of Air Force, Temple, and Arkansas State. Not necessarily programs with tradition, NIL, or media exposure, to say the least.

So, when the Big Red swooped in, first reported around the time the Huskers were set to travel to Las Vegas for the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl, Vibabul seemed to have taken a liking to not only the opportunity, but the staff as well. So much so, he took an official visit to campus shortly after Nebraska returned to Lincoln from his hometown.

When he had verbally committed on Jan. 14, Vibabul became the third and final addition to quarterback coach Glenn Thomas' room. The Huskers added Anthony Colandrea via the transfer portal on Jan. 6. Oddly enough, he, too, came from Las Vegas, where he spent his junior season playing for the UNLV Rebels. 2025 saw him named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, and he quickly became the favorite to earn the starting job for Dana Holgorsen's offense next fall.

Then, five days later, on Jan. 11, Nebraska was able to resecure the commitment of former Husker signal-caller Daniel Kaelin, who originally joined the roster in 2024 before transferring to Virginia. After one season with the Cavaliers, the Nebraska native decided to find a better fit, and Rhule's staff quickly jumped on the opportunity of welcoming him back into the fold.

They also managed to retain TJ Lateef, who started the final four games of the 2025 season for the Big Red. Despite going just 1-3 in the win-loss column, Lateef had shown enough to the staff to want to keep him in contention for the starting role in 2026. He appears to have every opportunity to do just that, though it will likely be an uphill battle for the soon-to-be sophomore.

With that in mind, Nebraska's quarterback room arguably saw an improved situation revolving around its depth over the offseason. 2025 saw former Husker Dylan Raiola start the first nine games of the year, but after suffering a season-ending injury, they were forced to roll with a true freshman version of Lateef. Because of his youth, the combination of opponents, and a variety of other factors, Nebraska ended the season with its tail between its legs. Now, if that situation were to happen again next fall, the Big Red would have two other options that have starting experience at the Power Four level.

Whether the ceiling of the room shrank or not, the floor almost inarguably rose, and fairly noticeably at that. For a Nebraska team heading into year four of the Rhule era, that may be exactly what they need. At the very least, it appears that is what the staff chose to do moving forward.

Though they'll lose the commitment of Vibabul, who had promise, the Huskers are set to bring in a high four-star signal-caller, Trae Taylor, in 2027. Listed as the No. 4 quarterback in his class, Nebraska has chosen to make him the poster child for its rebuild heading into the future. For now, it appears to be working relatively well, but time will tell how much it pays off.

Regardless, the "on-paper" outlook of the Huskers' quarterback room is maybe the brightest it's ever been. At the very least, it's the brightest of the current regime. And if Nebraska does manage to get the most important position in football right, the trajectory of its program would likely follow.

Taylor's commitment only makes that more evident when considering the caliber of players interested in the program directly due to his presence in the class. The Huskers' offense, spanning multiple coaching staffs, has struggled for some time, and despite that, the soon-to-be Millard South Patriot is putting the Big Red on the map in several recruitments of top players in the entire country.

Without Vibabul in the fold, Nebraska will head into the 2026 season with just three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, though Bode Soukup will be on the team in a walk-on role as well. Still, depth appears to be far from the biggest issue the room will have.

Instead, priority one should be getting the two incoming transfers familiar with Holgorsen's offensive system along with gelling with new teammates. Luckily for the Big Red, both new signal-callers are on campus already.

The Huskers are still in a strong place at the quarterback room. There aren't many other schools with two quarterbacks who have started for Power Four programs and a third who has Power Four playing experience. Compared to a year ago, the floor at Nebraska has been raised significantly.

The quarterback competition will likely be stiff, and the backup role in particular may go down to the wire. Whatever the final pecking order might be, the Huskers' three scholarship quarterbacks have all shown the potential to be No. 1 in their careers. That alone should give optimism for 2026.

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