The Race for Nebraska's No. 1 2027 Football Prospect Is Heating Up

The 2026 Nebraska high school football season is only a week old, but the race for the title of top player in the state is already taking shape.

Trae Taylor entered the season as the No. 1 quarterback in the country and one of the favorites to be the top overall prospect in Nebraska. However, after Friday night's Millard South-Millard North matchup, Nebraska fans might want to keep a close eye on Tory Pittman as he looks to make a push back up the national rankings.

Pittman put together one of the best performances of the opening week, while other top prospects like Braylen Warren, Tay Ellis, Matt Erickson, and Barrett Kitrell also got their senior seasons started.

Tory Pittman Makes His Case

Friday night's matchup between the Millard schools had plenty of storylines, with four future Nebraska players taking the field. While Taylor and Ellis helped Millard South come back for a 35-34 victory, Pittman might have been the most explosive player on the field.

The Nebraska safety commit finished with four catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Pittman scored on plays of 48 and 79 yards, with his second touchdown coming on the second play of the second half and giving Millard North a 21-14 lead.

Pittman also made an impact defensively, recording six tackles and a pass breakup before being ejected in the second half for unsportsmanlike conduct. The performance was exactly what Pittman needed to start his senior season as he looks to remind everyone why he was once considered one of the best players in the country.

Pittman's national ranking has dropped significantly, going from the No. 12 player in the country to No. 102. While rankings can change throughout a player's senior season, a performance like Friday night's shows that Pittman still has the talent to be mentioned among the best players in the 2027 class.

Taylor Still Has the Target on His Back

Taylor transferred from his native Illinois to Millard South for his senior season and entered the year as the No. 1 quarterback in the country. His first game in Nebraska ended with 311 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, one interception, and 101 rushing yards with another touchdown on the ground.

Taylor had a slow start through the air, but he settled in and made several big plays when Millard South needed them. His 67-yard touchdown pass to Ellis in the third quarter helped the Patriots answer one of Millard North's biggest plays of the night and keep the comeback alive.

The interception was Taylor's only real mistake, coming against South Dakota State commit Josiah Wardlow. Outside of that, Taylor showed why he is considered one of the best quarterbacks in the country while helping Millard South overcome a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Braylen Warren Could Make This Interesting

If there is another quarterback who could make the race interesting, it is Westside's Braylen Warren.

Warren had a strong summer at the Elite 11 Finals and entered his senior season with plenty of momentum. He showed that on Thursday night against Creighton Prep, leading Westside to a 42-10 victory while throwing for 189 yards and a touchdown on just 13 pass attempts.

Warren is one of several players in the state who could make a major jump this season. With Taylor already holding the national quarterback ranking, Warren will have plenty of opportunities to show that the gap between the two quarterbacks may not be as large as some rankings suggest.

Matt Rhule with 2027 offensive line prospect Matt Erickson. — Matt Erickson | @matt__erickson44/Instagram

More Names to Watch

Matt Erickson is another Nebraska commit who will have the opportunity to raise his stock during his senior season. The 6-foot-8 offensive tackle is now playing alongside Pittman at Millard North after Pittman joined the Mustangs for their senior seasons.

Tay Ellis also had a strong debut at Millard South after transferring from Crowley High School in Texas. Ellis caught three passes for 104 yards and a touchdown, a 67-yard score from Taylor that gave the Patriots some much-needed momentum in the second half.

Barrett Kitrell and Wyatt Liebentritt are two other names who could see their stock this fall. A strong senior season could put them into a conversation that is currently dominated by Taylor and Pittman.

Kylonn Haynie is another name worth watching after his performance against Millard South. The Millard North senior finished with 121 total yards and a touchdown, including a 65-yard run, while helping the Mustangs put 34 points on the board against the defending Class A champions.

Trae Taylor and Tory Pittman III | @Qb6Trae on X

The Race Is Just Getting Started

It is still far too early to determine who will ultimately finish as Nebraska's top 2027 prospect, but the opening week gave us plenty to watch.

Taylor remains the favorite because of his national ranking, his status as the No. 1 quarterback in the country, and the overall talent he showed in his Millard South debut. However, Pittman's performance against the team featuring Taylor showed that he should not be forgotten when talking about the best players in the state.

With Warren coming off an impressive summer and opening night, along with players like Ellis, Erickson, Kitrell, and Liebentritt capable of making their own jumps, this could be one of the more interesting recruiting races to follow throughout the 2026 season.

For now, Taylor has the target on his back. But if Pittman continues playing like he did Friday night, that race could become a lot more interesting by season's end.

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