Nebraska Using Historic Season to Gain Ground on 5-Star Men's Basketball Recruit

Hours before the first top-five battle in program history, head coach Fred Hoiberg secured some very exciting news.

Obviously, the program is trending higher than it ever has, but that doesn't mean strides are only being taken for the 2025-26 team. Instead, Hoiberg and staff are parlaying their scorching hot season into drawing the interest of some of the nation's top recruits.

Tuesday morning, the news broke about consensus five-star power forward Dawson Battie planning to take an unofficial visit to Lincoln over the coming weekend. The No. 10 player in the 2027 class (247Sports Composite) will be in town to take in a top 10 matchup between Nebraska and Illinois.

𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒: Dawson Battie, the No. 11 overall recruit in the national 2027 class, has scheduled two unofficial visits:

February 1st: #Nebraska
March 7th: #HookEm

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐄 https://t.co/M4RiiSIFVm pic.twitter.com/jnOMupmM3R
— Brandon Jenkins (@BJenkins247) January 27, 2026

A hot commodity, Battie has drawn scholarship offers from 18 Division I programs. Currently in the midst of his junior season in high school, that number is only going to grow. For the Huskers, who offered the 6-foot-8 star in October of 2024, their early scouting seems to be finally paying off.

As one of just 12 five-star recruits currently in his class, Nebraska appears to be squarely in the mix to gain his commitment over the coming months. Hoiberg and staff will battle the likes of in-state schools like SMU and Texas, amongst blue-blood basketball programs like Kentucky, as well. Nearly every school in the country will eventually be after this guy, and for the Huskers, their early arrival to his recruitment seems to be earning them a lot of staying power as his decision eventually nears.

For now, it appears the Big Red are coming in second place, but with Battie taking an unofficial visit over the coming weekend, a lot could change. With the Huskers' success on the court since March of last year, it's likely the power forward never imagined he could eventually be recruited by a Nebraska team featured in the top five of the Associated Press poll. However, that is the reality he finds himself in currently, and Nebraska seems to be doing everything in its power to capitalize on that momentum.

While basketball recruiting is significantly more fluid than other sports, as fewer players are added each year than the likes of a football program, the Huskers have done a good job at securing commitments from some of the top players around the country in recent classes. Set to join Nebraska next season is a duo of forwards with four-star honors.

Colin Rice is listed at 6-foot-7, 180 pounds, and offers a similar frame to Battie's; however, he fits more of a shooting guard role. That's not to say he can't put the ball on the deck and find his way to the rim, but the Iowa native thrives on creating shots from deep. The Huskers are very excited about what Rice can do; think Pryce Sandfort-like, and that's a good starting point for what the No. 79 prospect in the 2026 class can offer to the Big Red next season.

Jacob Lanier is a two-way player that Nebraska's staff is very high on. Ranked as the No. 88 player in the 2026 class, the Arkansas native chose Lincoln to call home over schools like Kansas State, Arkansas, and even Creighton. At 6-foot-5, Lanier is a bit shorter than Rice; however, he offers a lengthy frame that he's proved more than capable of using to his advantage at the high school level.

As far as other 2027 prospects go, Nebraska currently holds a verbal commitment from Ty Schlagel. A four-star prospect from Saint Paul, MN, the 6-foot-5 junior chose the Huskers over several other conference foes like Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Hoiberg and staff have held his commitment since Oct. 20, 2025.

They're also in the mix for four-star forward Ahmad Hudson and seem to be leading the charge as it currently stands. More well-known for his talents on the football field, Hudson is a blue-chip prospect in both sports. A five-star tight end as well, the Louisiana native would become one of the most high-profile signees in Nebraska school history were he to call Lincoln home. The Huskers have plans in place, like many other schools battling for his talents, for the 6-foot-7, 240-pound athlete to play both sports collegiately.

Nebrasketball fans can and should be very excited about the recruiting momentum that is happening because of this current squad. The Huskers are not wasting the opportunity they've created so far, and that is reflected by the unofficial visit that Battie has since made plans for later this week.

For now, Husker Nation continues to take in the historical season for their beloved program, but don't be surprised if this team's hunger stays for years to come. Monumental seasons like the one at hand can create opportunities further down the road, and if the likes of Rienk Mast, Sam Hoiberg, Jamarques Lawrence, and the rest of the senior class have anything to say, they intend on leaving this program better than they found it.

Allowing their coaching staff the opportunity to add players of Battie's status would do just that. Once an overlooked program is now on the rise, and whether it's a five-star from Dallas or a three-star from Lincoln, Hoiberg has shown he knows how to get the most out of anyone on his team.

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.