Nebraska football set for major recruiting weekend

With three months until the Class of 2025 can officially sign with their schools, Nebraska will host several major targets, including two flip candidates. Priority targets from the Class of 2026 will also be in attendance as Nebraska begins to build its next recruiting class.

Recruits from around the Midwest will be driving to Lincoln, while others, like Sanford (Florida) Seminole quarterback Michael Clayton will fly into town on Saturday morning.

One of Nebraska’s top 2026 quarterback targets, Clayton was just in Lincoln this summer when he earned an offer after working out in front of the Husker coaching staff.

“It was an amazing experience just being able to truly get around the coaches and see how they coach to see if it matches with what I’m looking for,” Clayton said. “It definitely did, which shows why I’m so interested in Nebraska.”

Clayton is evaluating his options this fall by taking gameday visits to programs such as Louisville, Missouri, Auburn and Georgia Tech. Ahead of a major Nebraska-Colorado matchup, though, the environment he’ll be a part of on Saturday night is what stands out to the Husker target.

“I’ve talked to the coaches that they’re excited for me to see the fans,” Clayton said. “I also want to be around the coaches more, see the campus, and see how they coach their players in a big-time game.”

One of the Midwest’s best offensive line prospects, Brandon (South Dakota’s) Hudson Parliament, will return to campus this week after taking part in a junior day and gameday visit previously. Parliament said that Nebraska and Iowa have “set the bar high” in his recruitment, so he’s eager to continue building his relationship with the NU coaching staff.

“I talk to the coaches on almost a daily basis, and Coach Rhule gives me a shout a couple times a month so they do a really great job of keeping me informed and checking in with me,” Parliament said. “I was in Lincoln last fall for the Purdue game, but this one against Colorado is one that really gets me fired up.”

Manhattan (Kansas) defensive back JJ Dunnigan is another player who is emerging as one of Nebraska’s top 2026 targets. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound recruit’s athleticism and physicality at cornerback stood out to Husker coaches during a June camp, earning him a Nebraska scholarship offer.

After taking part in an August junior day where he met new defensive backs coach John Butler, Dunnigan knew he wanted to take in a game in Lincoln — and that the Colorado matchup was the one he wanted to see.

“I wanted to see this week’s game because I wanted to see the fans, the atmosphere and how Nebraska plays against a big team,” Dunnigan said.

Nearly half of Nebraska’s 2025 recruiting class is also expected to be in attendance, including quarterback TJ Lateef, running back Jamarion Parker and defensive linemen Malcolm Simpson and Kade Pietrzak.

Other visitors expected in Lincoln this weekend include:

* San Antonio (Texas) Alamo Heights athlete Michael Terry III: A top-20 national recruit, Terry has kept Nebraska in contention while he remains uncommitted. The home-state Texas Longhorns stand in Nebraska’s way of earning a commitment, and Oregon is another strong contender for the five-star athlete.

* Overland Park (Kansas) Blue Valley linebacker Dawson Merritt: An Alabama commit, it was less than three months ago that Merritt announced he’d chosen the Crimson Tide over his other finalist, Nebraska. Could a return visit to Lincoln mean second thoughts over that decision? At the very least, it’s one of the most accessible visits Merritt and his family can make while his father, Dave Merritt, coaches the Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive backs during the NFL season.

* Homestead (Florida) wide receiver Cortez Mills: A top-20 wide receiver prospect, Mills is another player who has made several visits to Nebraska but ultimately chose to commit elsewhere, picking Oklahoma on July 1. But could Nebraska, which is hosting Mills for the third time in the last nine months, flip the four-star recruit late in the process? Its chances of doing so are stronger than with Merritt.

* Omaha Westside linebacker Christian Jones: The top uncommitted defensive target left on Nebraska’s 2025 board, Jones was on the sidelines for the team’s 40-7 win over UTEP last week. He’ll return to Lincoln for another visit as the likes of Auburn and Oklahoma also push for his commitment.

* Nixa (Missouri) offensive lineman Jackson Cantwell: The nation’s top offensive tackle recruit, Cantwell has had a steady presence at Nebraska games and recruiting events over the past year. He’s heavily recruited nationally, but the five-star prospect is big on the Huskers.

* Raymore-Peculiar (Missouri) running back DeZephen Walker: A four-star recruit who is making his fourth visit to Nebraska, Walker has been trending toward the Huskers since the summer.

* Orange (California) Lutheran offensive lineman Samuelu Utu: The nation’s second-best interior offensive line recruit, Utu earned a Nebraska offer in May.

* Des Moines (Iowa) Valley athlete Jayden McGregory: A four-star defensive athlete who Nebraska views as a future free safety, McGregory is one of the Midwest’s best prospects. He also took part in the program’s late July junior day.

* Jenks (Oklahoma) running back Kaydin Jones: The top-ranked player in the state of Oklahoma, Jones’ offer list — Alabama, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M and others are interested — reflects his high-end potential.

* Spring (Texas) Legacy School of Sports Sciences wide receiver Mike Brown: The son of a former NFL linebacker, Brown is a dynamic four-star prospect who also has major interest from Michigan, Oklahoma and Texas.

* Denton (Texas) Guyer athlete Kaedyn Cobbs: A talented athlete with a future at linebacker, safety or even running back, Cobbs is another junior day participant coming back for a gameday visit. NU is the current leader in his recruitment.

* Millard South tight end Isaac Jensen: One of the state’s top 2026 prospects, Jensen has taken multiple visits to Lincoln within the past year. The three-star recruit has plenty of national attention too.

* Wichita (Kansas) Maize South defensive lineman Hunter Higgins: An impactful edge rusher or defensive line prospect, Higgins was previously at a junior day and NU’s Spring Game in April.