Omaha North defensive lineman Tyson Terry commits to Nebraska

When Omaha North lineman Tyson Terry trekked to Lincoln Wednesday with good news to share, he sensed Nebraska coach Matt Rhule expected a commitment. A standout 2025 defensive tackle with 139 career tackles already to his name, Terry liked the new head man immediately when he arrived in December.

So Rhule was excited, but also appreciative.

“He respected that I committed to Nebraska before he’d even coached a game,” Terry said Friday evening.

Terry committed 18 months before his own signing day. That’s a lot of faith in a coaching staff. But the 6-foot-2, 280-pounder — also a two-time Class A state champ in wrestling — was ready to decide. He liked Rhule, defensive line coach Terrance Knighton, the whole bunch.

“It always felt like home with them,” Terry said. “From the first time I met the new staff, it was just a connection with them right away. It’s special to me. I grew up watching Nebraska, and it’s close to my friends and family. That’s big for me. I come from a football family, and Nebraska being close, they can come to every game.”

Terry’s finalists — NU, Iowa, Iowa State and Kansas State — were all close to home. He visited all four this spring with his dad, Ryan, who told Tyson to envision himself at each school and ask: Is this home?

Time at Husker practice and around North Stadium felt just like that.

That hadn’t always been the case, either.

“The old staff at Nebraska, they weren’t even in the conversation for me,” Terry said.

The new staff is young, Terry said, and also hungry. Rhule is an “awesome man.” Knighton knows the trade from his playing days in the NFL and teaches great technique.

“He’s going to get on your butt in practice when you need it,” Terry said. “He’s also going to be there for you.”

Even when Rhule inks the 2025 class well down the road, Terry is likely to be one of the key signees in the class.

In two years, the three-star prospect has compiled 139 tackles and nine sacks for the Vikings, annually one of the top teams in Class A. He’s held a Nebraska scholarship offer since January 2022. Iowa State, Kansas and Minnesota swiftly followed, and Iowa offered in December.

He has a legitimate chance at finishing his prep career as an undefeated heavyweight wrestler. He uses his mat expertise on the football field, too.

“I feel like I’m a good run-stopper,” Terry said. “I feel like I can clog some holes and use my wrestling skills a little bit for leverage and different things like that. There’s always room to grow. I want to get faster. I run a 5.1-second 40 now, so it’s getting faster, getting stronger and putting more skills in the d-line toolbox.”

He joins Millard North safety Caden VerMaas as commits in Nebraska’s 2025 class.