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Nebraska Secures Third Portal Commitment, Marking Second on the Offensive Line

Tree Babalade, who earned 15 career starts at South Carolina, is the Huskers' most recent transfer portal addition, marking a big win for Geep Wade's offensive line.
Trevor Tarr|
Tree Babalade was a four-star recruit in the 2023 class and comes to Lincoln with two years of eligibility remaining.
Tree Babalade was a four-star recruit in the 2023 class and comes to Lincoln with two years of eligibility remaining. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

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Though nobody's sure if any commitment will stick, Nebraska appears to have landed its second transfer portal addition along the offensive line.

Tree Babalade, formerly of South Carolina, has committed to the Huskers, coming to the program with two years of eligibility remaining. News of his decision came Tuesday morning from multiple sources.

Offering noticeable size and starting experience, Babalade was most recently developed under the new Nebraska run game coordinator Lonnie Teasley. After spending the first three years of his collegiate career as a Gamecock, the 6-foot-5, 330-pound linemen will follow his former position coach to Lincoln for 2026.

As a former four-star recruit, Babalade's commitment to South Carolina came with expectations that he could help elevate the program. To his credit, he did just that, seeing the field in 11 games as a true freshman while earning the first nine starts of his career at left tackle.

The following season, after the player he replaced due to injury came back into the fold, Babalade saw action in just four games while maintaining his redshirt. He earned his lone start of the 2024 season against Missouri and entered the 2025 campaign appearing ready to become a more dependable piece up front.

This past fall, the Maryland native played in nine games while recording an additional five starts. This time, however, as a redshirt sophomore, Babalade saw most of his reps, and all of his starts, at right tackle. Having played in 22 career games with 15 total starts, Bablade comes to Nebraska appearing to be a perfect match for the right tackle opening the Huskers must fill next season.

Babalade announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 23, and with Teasley joining the staff at Nebraska, he seemed to be a clear potential target for the Huskers. And, as it turned out, he was.

The offensive linemen's decision to follow his former coach marks Nebraska's first portal addition linked to Teasley, and serves as a reminder of the emphasis Matt Rhule has put on adding coaches with ties to former players.

While Babalade's commitment is the Huskers' most recent, it also marks the second offensive lineman addition of Nebraska's 2026 portal haul.

On Monday, Nebraska secured a commitment from former Iowa State Cyclone Brendan Black. The senior-to-be started 30 games during his time in Ames and is listed at 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds.

What's worth noting is the Huskers' addition of two proven and sizeable targets. Both players are listed at well over 300 pounds and offer the kind of length required to create separation while blocking downfield.

In 2025, Nebraska seemed to lack the physically imposing level of play required to compete against the top teams in the Big Ten. However, these portal additions suggest that the staff is making it a priority to recruit players who can change that.

Though Babalade has seen a mix of both starting and reserve roles, he likely fits into Nebraska's roster as the starting right tackle next fall. Per Pro Football Focus, in 2025, as a redshirt sophomore, Babalade allowed just one sack in 255 pass blocking snaps. For a Nebraska team that allowed a 33 sacks in 13 games, that might be a reason for optimism that the Huskers can improve in that statistic drastically next season.

With the likely addition of at least one more starting-caliber offensive lineman, expect Rhule and company to secure that player very soon. Offensive linemen come at a premium in the transfer portal, and the type of player Nebraska has already added at the position almost certainly comes at a high price.

Though the Huskers lost out on their original quarterback commitment, Kenny Minchey, in what many believed came down to a financial decision, Nebraska does not appear interested in skimping on rewarding proven members of the offensive line in NIL valuations this offseason.

Without confirmation on the agreements Black or Babalade have secured, do not get it twisted. The Huskers found a pair of ready-made starters along the offensive line, and that does not come without a serious payday.

For now, Nebraska has secured a pair of linemen for the pipeline. However, there will be much more activity to come. Just five days into the transfer portal window, the Huskers are nearing the mark of hosting 20 visitors to campus over the coming days. More news is certain to come, and judging from Monday's turn of events with Minchey, it can happen at any time.

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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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