It feels a bit like Lucy with the football, doesn’t it? For whatever reason, Nebraska football missing on wide receiver recruits has become an unwelcome tradition over the last ten years or so. Mike Riley’s “Calibraska” movement comes to mind, with some big name, four star recruits that got the fan base excited but either never ended up committing, or didn’t see the field once they got to Lincoln. Scott Frost brought in six wide receivers in his first recruiting class, as he tried to infuse his team with speed from a mix of the high school and junior college ranks. Most of those guys ended up transferring or having a limited impact. I could go on and on.
Don’t get me wrong, there have been some standouts as well. Trey Palmer and Stanley Morgan in particular left their mark. They are the only two receivers in the history of Nebraska football to have 1,000+ yard receiving seasons, both having accomplished that feat within the last seven years. But more often than not, the Huskers seem to go into the season with wide receivers aplenty, only to find themselves scrambling for help at the position by about October. As Common Fan co-host Matty O joked in our recent deep dive into the wide receiver room, fans often feel like Nebraska has weapons all over the field, only for the team to end up with one reliable option being supplemented by walk-ons from Weeping Water (with all love and respect to Weeping Water!).
This year might be different. The hype is as strong as ever, but it might actually be warranted for the 2025 season. Maybe our recent episode got the Big Red Kool Aid flowing a little too strongly, but it got me thinking that this year’s batch of receivers might be the real deal for Matt Rhule’s offense. With that in mind, here are three reasons to believe the hype around Nebraska’s wide receivers in 2025.
Proven Production
Let’s start with what we know.
- Jacory Barney will be back, and folks, he’s only a sophomore. Barney was excellent in 2024, catching 55 passes for 447 yards, rushing 10 times for 130 yards and three touchdowns, and returning 14 kickoffs for 285 yards. He was electric with the ball in his hands, and he proved to be durable as well, playing in all 13 games.
- Janiran Bonner is also back. Bonner caught 11 passes for 67 yards and one touchdown in 2024, while also rushing twice for 11 yards and a touchdown. While the numbers are modest, Bonner made some critical plays at key moments, and he can be utilized in a variety of roles. I’m excited to see how he’s used in the coming season.
In addition to Barney and Bonner, the Huskers have added three pass catchers with proven production at the major college level.
- Dane Key is the biggest name of the bunch. Over three years at Kentucky, he compiled 126 catches for 1,870 yards and 14 touchdowns. He left Lexington in the top 15 in Wildcat history in both all time receptions and career receiving yards. The Huskers got a dude in Key.
- Nyziah Hunter had 40 receptions for 578 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver at Cal in 2024. He redshirted in 2023, so he comes to Lincoln with two years of experience at a major college program under his belt.
- Hardley Gilmore IV only had six catches for 153 yards in 2024, but those numbers are a bit misleading. Due to an early season injury, all of his production came in the last five games of the year. Also, let’s not miss the fact that he averaged 25.5 yards per catch with his six grabs. There’s a lot to be excited about with Gilmore.
While the numbers and circumstances vary, that’s five guys who have shown they can produce at the major college level, and all but the senior Key have multiple years of eligibility left. That’s a fantastic core for the Huskers to work with in 2025, and it stands to reason that several of these guys haven’t reached their maximum potential yet.
Solid Depth
I won’t make any predictions about receiving yards or touchdowns or any sort of production. But you can pretty much bank on the five guys mentioned above to be among Nebraska’s most used receivers, at least to start the season. After those five, though, there are still several intriguing options you can expect will get a long look during spring ball and into fall camp. Recruits Cortez Mills, Isaiah Mozee, and Jeremiah Jones come in from the high school ranks with a lot of hype, and we know this staff is willing to play guys early if they show they’re ready. All three are already on campus and participating in spring practice. Demitrius Bell was primed for a major role in 2024, before suffering a season ending injury during the spring game. If he’s fully healthy in 2025, expect him to contribute. Six foot, five inch Quinn Clark looks the part of a big time college wideout. Can he break through and carve out a role for himself? And don’t forget about Common Fan favorite Heinrich Haarberg, who has made the full time transition to tight end. Obviously not a wide receiver, but he’s such a talented athlete, and we know how explosive he is with the ball in his hands, you have to figure he will play a significant role as another receiving option in this offense. Speaking of tight ends, Luke Lindenmeyer and Carter Nelson–both of whom caught passes and made impact plays in 2024–are back and expected to contribute as well.
Dana Holgorsen + Dylan Raiola
I can’t wait to see the stamp Dana Holgorsen puts on this offense after a full offseason of working with Dylan Raiola and all the weapons around him. Coach Rhule and Holgorsen have both commented that Nebraska will run the same system on offense as they have the last two years, but don’t let that fool you. Holgorsen is one of the top offensive minds in the game, and you know he will put his own imprint on the Huskers’ offense. What changes does that mean for the passing game? We’ll have to wait and see. I believe it could involve Nebraska playing with greater tempo at times, and taking more deep shots down the field. In any event, the new OC did a great job of simplifying the offense and putting his playmakers in a position to succeed during the short amount of time he had to work with in 2024. I expect the Holgorsen effect to be a major boost to the wide receivers this year.
As for Dylan Raiola, he played an active role in recruiting several of these receivers to Nebraska in the first place, and he has been throwing with them throughout the offseason. Under Holgorsen’s tutelage, I fully expect Raiola to find a new level in 2025, after a solid true freshman season that included some fantastic plays combined with the occasional slip up. After a full season under his belt, and a full offseason of working with Holgorsen, there’s every reason to believe Raiola can take a sizable leap in 2025. Who stands to benefit the most from such a leap? The wide receivers, of course.
This might just be the most well-rounded wide receiver room Nebraska has had in more than a decade. Now, it’s time to see if the production matches the promise.
As always, GBR for LIFE.