Top 25 uncommitted players to watch

The Huskers have already landed eight commitments during the current recruiting cycle and more should follow during a month that includes camp workouts and two official visit weekends.

But who exactly are the Huskers targeting? The first edition of the HuskerExtra recruiting Big Board pinpoints 25 uncommitted players to watch as Nebraska builds its 2025 class.

No. 1-5: Linebacker Dawson Merritt; linebacker Christian Jones; athlete Michael Terry III; running back Jamarion Parker; tight end Chase Loftin.

At the top of Nebraska’s list is Merritt, who projects as an impactful off-ball linebacker or hybrid edge rusher. The four-star linebacker from the Kansas City area is down to Nebraska and Alabama in his recruitment and should decide his future school in the coming weeks after officially visiting the Crimson Tide this weekend.

Jones’ future at linebacker is just as promising as Merritt’s. An explosive athlete from Omaha Westside, Jones has been a Husker target for several years but waited to take official visits until this summer. He’ll visit Lincoln later this month alongside trips to USC and Oklahoma.

On the offensive side of the ball, Terry is a do-it-all athlete whose future position could be either wide receiver or running back. A five-star prospect, Terry visited Nebraska in April and has visits scheduled to Texas and Texas A&M this month.

NU will host Parker and Loftin on June 21, with both players receiving major interest from SEC programs.

An in-state prospect from Millard South, Loftin is also visiting Missouri and Texas A&M and remains NU’s top target at tight end. Parker earned an offer from Alabama in April and has interest from TCU, but NU has heavily pursued the four-star back since January.

No. 6-10: Defensive lineman Jaylen Williams; offensive lineman Malachi Goodman; offensive lineman David Sanders Jr.; offensive lineman Broderick Shull; defensive lineman Jayden Loftin.

With just one defensive lineman and zero offensive linemen currently in its 2025 class, Nebraska will need to build in the trenches during June.

That effort starts with Williams, an athletic, high-motor lineman who is Nebraska’s top defensive line target. Williams unofficially visited Lincoln in January before head coach Matt Rhule visited him on the road in February and all four Husker defensive assistants stopped by again in May. Williams will take his official visit on June 21.

It’ll be difficult for Nebraska to land either of its two highest-ranked offensive line targets — Goodman and Sanders.

A four-star recruit out of New Jersey, Goodman unofficially visited Nebraska in November and April but is yet to schedule an official visit. Sanders, on the other hand, officially visited NU in May — but schools such as Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State appear to be likelier destinations for the five-star lineman.

Auburn and Nebraska appear to be the frontrunners for Shull, a four-star offensive tackle prospect who officially visited Lincoln last month.

Nebraska only offered Loftin three weeks ago, but he has quickly become one of the Huskers’ top targets on defense. NU’s defensive coaching staff visited Loftin at his high school in late May, and the four-star prospect has scheduled a June official visit.

No. 11-15: Wide receiver Cortez Mills; defensive back Bryson Webber; linebacker Pierce Mooberry; wide receiver Corey Simms; defensive back Antonio Branch.

Wide receiver is a position where Nebraska can feel content with its efforts thus far, but the Huskers will be looking to add two or three more commitments starting with a pair of the nation’s best.

Mills officially visited Lincoln in April and is seeing Clemson, Florida, Oklahoma and Miami this summer. The son of a former Husker basketball player, Simms has been busy too, with trips to Penn State and USC before he officially visits Nebraska on June 14.

While Nebraska has a pair of safety recruits in its class, the Huskers are seeking cornerback commits such as Webber and Branch. A four-star out of Miami, Branch visited Lincoln in April and is coming off an official visit to Penn State. Webber is one to watch in late June following his official visit to campus considering NU has heavily recruited the Texan prospect since giving him a first FBS offer in January.

A local prospect from Millard North, Mooberry is a defensive athlete whose future position could be as an off-ball linebacker. The three-star prospect is visiting Minnesota, Kansas State and Nebraska this month.

No. 16-20: Offensive lineman John Mills; defensive lineman Michael Riles; wide receiver Emmanuel Choice; tight end Reiman Zebert; wide receiver Rahim Hutchins.

As recruiting targets commit elsewhere, others will rise up the board — but it’s hard to predict who will surge and who will fall.

Mills is one of Nebraska’s top offensive line targets and has visited campus multiple times, including for an April official visit.

Choice is a dynamic, fast wide receiver prospect who also officially visited for Nebraska’s Spring Game. Hutchins, a speedy 6-foot wideout, has narrowed down his recruitment to Houston, Memphis and Nebraska ahead of a June 21 official visit to Lincoln. Provided the visit goes well, Hutchins could be primed for a late June commitment.

Riles is another Texan prospect set to visit Lincoln the same weekend, with the four-star being heavily recruited by defensive line coach Terrance Knighton. Platteview’s Zebert, who has interest from Stanford and Wisconsin, will also visit during the late June weekend.

No. 21-25: Defensive lineman Kade Pietrzak; offensive lineman Houston Kaahaaina-Torres; running back Mekhi Nelson; offensive lineman SJ Alofaituli, offensive lineman Alai Kalaniuvalu.

Pietrzak is an intriguing four-star defensive lineman who is considering Kansas State, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Wisconsin in his recruitment. A three-star running back prospect out of Connecticut, Nelson is set to visit Nebraska this weekend.

Nebraska has even more offensive line targets who could be part of the list but Kaahaaina-Torres has the advantage of visiting campus this month. Alofaituli and Kalaniuvalu are high school teammates whose recruitments appear likely to extend into the fall. Kalaniuvalu visited Lincoln in April while Alofaituli will take an official visit this month.