Nebraska Trending Back Up for No. 1 Offensive Tackle in 2027 Class

Recruiting has its ebbs and flows, but as it currently stands, Nebraska football is a program on the rise for the nation's No. 1 offensive tackle prospect in the 2027 cycle.

That's right. The Huskers, under new offensive line coach Geep Wade, have made up some valuable ground in the recruitment of offensive tackle Mark Matthews of the storied high school football powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas (FL). With offers from over 35 Division I schools, it won't be easy, but at the very least, NU is expected to secure a visit from the talented Florida native sometime this spring.

With nearly a full year left before the offensive lineman signs with a school of his choosing, the Big Red are beginning to make their initial push under new guidance. And the combination of new-look positional staff and fellow recruits within the class is giving Matthews everything they've got to make his next stop in Lincoln one he won't soon forget.

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds, Matthews offers the physical frame fit for the Big Ten. The only question revolves around just how early the talented will-be senior in high school could see the field at the next level. Ranked as the No. 2 overall prospect and top tackle in America, nearly every big-time football program in the country is after the young and coming offensive lineman.

As it currently stands, the Florida native has an in-state school at the top of his list. Of course, nearly hometown Miami, fresh off an appearance in the National Championship game, is leading the pack. For Nebraska, that means they'll not only be fighting an uphill battle in terms of proximity to home, but also recent program success, and (potentially) NIL/Revenue Sharing opportunities as well.

Still, there's plenty of reason for reasonable optimism at this point in time. The Huskers currently boast the nation's No. 6 overall recruiting class for 2027, headlined by the fourth-ranked quarterback and second-ranked safety in the country. That means not only one, but two of the best players at their respective position groups have already (verbally) chosen to eventually sport the scarlet and cream in college to date, meaning Matthews wouldn't necessarily be a pioneer in that regard.

While Taylor likely plays a large role in Nebraska drawing interest from the offensive tackle, the new coaching staff appears to be as well. While Nebraska offered Matthews a scholarship back in April of 2025, new offensive line coach Geep Wade's relationship with the recruit has existed for even longer than that.

Formerly at Georgia Tech, Wade's time in Atlanta drew him to the recruit faster than most other Power Conference schools. With the Yellow Jackets' success on the offensive side of the ball and the school being located in Georgia, Matthews was an early target added to Tech's recruiting board.

The offensive line prospect also took an unofficial visit to Nebraska over the summer of 2025, when he was already in Lincoln for the inaugural Hudl Futures Forum, which hosted several of the nation's top prospects for a weekend in the Midwest. Because of that, mixed with Wade's re-recruitment, it appears Matthews is entertaining the idea of Nebraska potentially being his college home.

Whether that's ultimately enough or develops into becoming enough to secure his commitment remains to be seen. But for now, the Huskers are a school of interest. So much so that Nebraska is expected to secure another unofficial visit this spring, which they hope to parlay into an official visit over the fall.

The Big Red likes its chances at top recruits when it is able to get prospects on campus at least three times. And, of course, if an unofficial turns into an official visit down the road, the Huskers would seem to have as good a shot as any to land his signature come December of this year.

As it currently stands, Nebraska has six total verbal commitments already lined up, yet only one of them is an eventual member of Wade and run game coordinator Lonnie Teasley's offensive line room. That is Matt Erickson of Millard North (NE).

Listed at 6-foot-8 and 280 pounds, Erickson is also projected to feature in the tackle rotation when he joins the roster next fall. A three-star prospect ranked the No. 593 overall recruit; Erickson offers the frame that this staff believes they can mold into an All-Big Ten level player down the line.

Though he doesn't appear to have as high a ceiling as Matthews, if recruiting rankings are any indication, he still appears to be a player whom this staff was extremely excited to welcome into the class. If the No. 1 offensive tackle in 2027 were to join him, the Huskers would quickly lock down a duo of tackle prospects who could eventually play opposite each other in future years.

The Huskers are also seemingly increasing their offensive line recruiting board with each passing day. After the staff hosted a junior day event to kickstart the month of February, it saw several of the top uncommitted players at the line of scrimmage visit campus for a weekend.

Notable players on that list include the aforementioned Erickson, joined by three undecided targets in the 2027 cycle. Locally, Nebraska extended a scholarship offer to in-state offensive lineman Barrett Kitrell. Playing his high school ball at Ashland-Greenwood, the fast-rising recruit is currently favored to land with the Big Red.

They also played host to two blue-chip recruits. Kyler Kuhn of St. Pius X in Kansas City, MO, is ranked as the No. 9 interior offensive line prospect in the country. Nebraska appears to be fighting off other regional schools like Missouri and Iowa for his eventual signature.

Then, last but not least, Timi Aliu also visited Lincoln earlier this month. At 6-foot-4, 295 pounds, the Georgia native plays tackle as a prep recruit, but will likely factor in along the interior in college. Listed as the No. 257 overall recruit, the Huskers made large strides over the visit weekend and will now compete with Auburn for his commitment down the stretch.

Overall, there's no shortage of prospects the Big Red has begun to build relationships with, but it will ultimately come down to this staff's ability to close the deal. The easiest way to start doing that is by finding success on the field next fall.

For Wade and Teasley, along with their new group of transfer portal additions, improvements are the point of emphasis for arguably the entire program this offseason. With a retooled group, strides can be made, and if recent coaching success of the two's previous stops suggests anything, that can and will be done.

For now, they'll sell the program's history, facilities, and resources, but soon enough, they'll (hopefully) be able to sell proof of development to prospects like this as well. Whether they secure Matthews or not, the direction this program is going appears to be more rooted in what made it successful in the past. And for now, Husker fans should take a liking to a more physically imposing, run-oriented team next fall.

More From Nebraska On SI

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.