Will Nebraska football win the David Sanders sweepstakes?

Because Sanders has opted to choose between NU, Tennessee, Ohio State and Georgia in a live announcement on Saturday, the Huskers can’t show Sanders how they’ve grown in an actual football game. They’ll have to lean on their efforts surrounding two visits, including one that featured an airport escort from current quarterback Dylan Raiola and a glut of fans showing up in front of the Osborne Legacy Complex.

Such a turnout thrilled a guy like Sanders, who enters his senior year at Charlotte (North Carolina) Providence Day School as one of the nation’s top five prospects in the 2025 class. Sanders recently introduced his own clothing line, replete with a logo and his No. 70 jersey. He has a newsletter, too.

“Nebraska was the big shocker for everybody,” Sanders told the Charlotte Observer this week. “They blew it out of the water on my official visit. The facilities were amazing, and I really clicked with coach (Matt) Rhule.”

Again, the hay’s in the barn. In two visits, Nebraska did what it could — perhaps even more than any other school did with its visits. The Huskers are in the mix because they aced the off-the-field exam, and because Raiola has worked on Sanders for months. Five stars like to play with five stars.

What NU hasn’t done is consistently win games. Ohio State and Georgia, obviously, have done so for decades. Tennessee, viewed on some recruiting sites as the frontrunner in the Sanders Sweepstakes, has won 20 games in the last two years. Knoxville, home of UT, is also a four-hour drive from Charlotte.

The Huskers have had success landing the top linemen in the Midwest, including Bryce Benhart, Turner Corcoran, Teddy Prochazka and Grant Brix. It’s had a harder time, as one might expect, landing blue-chip linemen outside the 500-mile radius.

A winning season might change that conversation and give Sanders more to mull over before the early December signing date – presuming he doesn’t pick NU on Saturday. Which, if he does, only gives him more reason to stick with the Huskers.

The latest Big Ten recruiting scoreboard shows little change at the top — Ohio State still rules, and Oregon isn’t far behind — a slight bump for Nebraska and a couple of former Big Ten West schools (Iowa, Illinois) plummeting to the bottom while Washington, under new coach Jedd Fisch, surges up the rankings.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 1/1

The big names: CB Devin Sanchez, QB Tavien St. Clair, CB Na’eem Offord

Skinny: The Buckeyes have NIL money to practically burn, and their two collectives are spreading it around to prospects from all over the nation. OSU’s recruiting train kept rolling in June and won’t stop until Signing Day. St. Clair has quickly moved up the list to become the top overall QB in the country.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 9/2

The big names: WR Dallas Smith, WR Dakorien Moore, S Trey McNutt

Skinny: The Ducks are cleaning up among the offensive and defensive skill players (seven of their eight top-rated recruits, according to On3, are receivers, defensive backs or running backs.) Oregon has a brand that skill guys love.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 15/4

The big names: CB Daryus Dixon, LB Max Granville, CB Jahmir Joseph

Skinny: Defense has long been a staple in Happy Valley, and the way James Franklin recruits that side of the ball, nothing is changing. PSU also grabbed pass rusher Jayden Woods out of the Kansas City area.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 14/3

The big names: DL Nate Marshall, QB Carter Smith and S Kainoa Winston

Skinny: Smith, the QB, gives off some JJ McCarthy vibes. UM’s commits have a lot of stars, but the program has question marks hanging over it due to multiple investigations by the NCAA. What’s next in Ann Arbor?

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 16/5

The big names: QB Julian Lewis, S Hylton Stubbs

Skinny: Lewis remains committed to the Trojans, but the five-star drama seems high with him, given he’s taken visits to Indiana and Colorado. If he waffles, USC coach Lincoln Riley — who has coached three Heisman Trophy winners — will have a good Plan B.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 19/6

The big names: TE Vander Ploog, ATH Dylan Robinson and QB Dash Beierly

Skinny: Jedd Fisch doin’ work! In June and July! The Huskies quickly built a full class with players from Washington, California, Oregon and one guy each from Texas, Illinois and Hawaii. Washington landed blue-chip skill and upside linemen. That’s the way to do it.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 21/7

The big names: Edge Chase Linton, S Tariq Hayer, WR Michael Thomas

Skinny: The class has nine New Jersey commits — three of whom are four-star prospects — which is the kind of in-state haul Greg Schiano needs. Five more from Florida. No prospects west of Michigan. It’s an “East Coast tuff” kind of group. RU will go into commit protection mode for the rest of the cycle as teams attempt to pick off some of the top guys in the class.  

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 25/9

The big names: LB Mason Posa, OL Hardy Watts, OL Logan Powell

Skinny: The Badgers have commits from 14 different states (!), including New Mexico (Posa), Massachusetts (Watts) and Virginia. Maybe it’s a lean year in the upper Midwest, or maybe Luke Fickell’s in the business of doing something different.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 23/8

The big names: OL Jaylen Gilchrist, ATH Messiah Delhomme, QB Malik Washington

Skinny: On3 has 53 prospects in Maryland with a three-star grade, and 39 such players in Virginia. In case you’re wondering how the Terrapins slowly improved in a tough Big Ten East. Mike Locksley recruits well in both states, then adds some key prospects from Florida. Washington, from Baltimore, will get a chance to start right away next season.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 29/10

The big names: WR Isaiah Mozee, DL Malcolm Simpson, RB Jamarion Parker

Skinny: Mozee is a big-time add at receiver/running back, and Parker is the home run hitter NU has lacked for years at running back. Internally, Nebraska is high on its collection of offensive and defensive line commits, which includes Omaha North senior Tyson Terry.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 40/11

The big names: QB Madden Iamaleava, S Jadyn Hudson and RB Karson Cox

Skinny: The Bruins got a key add in Iamaleava, who turned down the chance to play with his brother, Nico, at Tennessee to stay close to home in the Rose Bowl. Cox is a good one, too. The Bruins may have to win under new coach DeShaun Foster before they win big on the recruiting trail.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 46/12

The big names: DE Triston Abram, S Byron Baldwin

Skinny: Coach Curt Cignetti has recruited his tail off early, and only taken four guys in the state of Indiana. This is a head coach and program that intends to win quickly, and may well alienate some of the high school coaches in the state.

Total commits: 22                                              

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 47/13

The big names: QB Jackson Kollock and LB Emmanuel Karmo

Skinny:  The Gophers landed 16 commits in June, mostly mid-level three-star guys who will develop over time. Karmo could be one of the best ‘backer commits in the Big Ten.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 55/14

The big names: RB Jace Clarizio, CB LaRue Zamorano and QB Leo Hannan

Skinny: Out of the Big Ten basement — thanks to the commit of Clarizio, a local back — but perhaps only halfway home on finishing the 2025 class. MSU could sign 30 guys, or it could add 15-20 players in the transfer portal.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 59/15

The big names:  TE Tyler Kielmeyer and DE Caden O’Rourke

Skinny:  Northwestern historically recruits well early in a cycle because the school already knows which prospects will or won’t qualify for admission. So it’s not surprising the Wildcats have made their move with commits. David Braun has a new stadium to sell, too.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 60/16

Rivals: 63/17                                                                                           

The big names: CB Dwayne Galloway, LB Grant Beerman and QB Sawyer Anderson

Skinny: Purdue has an unsurprisingly modest class that reflects the uncertainty around coach Ryan Walters and perhaps a perpetual need to pull players out of the transfer portal. Anderson is a Drew Brees/David Blough Texas intrigue, throwing for 9,580 yards and 109 touchdowns in three years at a small Christian school in Dallas. Great skillset. He’s also 5-11.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 61/17

The big names: TEs Thomas Meyer and Eli Johnson

Skinny:  It’s a little slower year in Iowa than previous cycles — which were off-the-charts good — so the Hawkeyes may venture more into Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin and Michigan for their recruits. Iowa has a couple big tight ends and big linebackers in the class already. The Hawkeyes aim to land five-star pass rusher Iose Epenesa, whose dad and brother played at Iowa.

247Sports composite national/Big Ten: 66/18

7The big names: WR Brayden Trimble and QB Carson Boyd

Skinny: Of the top 25 prospects in the state of Illinois — according to On3 — the Illini have three commits. Not gonna cut it. It doesn’t seem to matter who is head coach in Champaign, either. A lot of kids don’t want to go play football “downstate.”