Matt Rhule says there is 'a lot of power' in recruiting Nebraska brand

Nebraska can be a national recruiting power, it might’ve just needed the right man leading that charge. If Matt Rhule has anything to say about it, he full expects to turn the Cornhuskers’ program into a recruiting hotspot over the coming seasons.

“I wasn’t sure till I got out there, and I found that there’s a lot of power in this logo right off the bat,” Rhule told 247Sports. “Obviously the program, we’re not where we want to be right now, but I think for guys that want to compete at the highest level, we’re not trying to get Nebraska to a place it’s never been.

“We’re just trying to get it back to where it’s been before and I think all across the country young people looked at our track record at Temple and at Baylor, having coached in the NFL, everything that they want to do we’ve been a part of. Helping them get a great education, come play in front of an elite fan base, elite facilities, help them win a championship, and send them off to the NFL. That sold pretty well and it’s because it’s real and it’s all able to happen here.”

Already, Rhule has made his mark in the recruiting game. Since he was named head coach, seven players have committed to Nebraska from the NCAA transfer portal – including five former four-star recruits.

The group is headlined on the defensive end by former Texas A&M defensive lineman Elijah Jeudy. A former top-200 recruit in the 2021 class, the 6-foot-3, 300-pound interior DL can be an instant-impact player for the Cornhuskers as a redshirt sophomore. Former Florida EDGE Chief Borders will also join Jeudy on the D-Line next season in Lincoln.

Offensively, Jeff Sims takes the cake. Rhule’s handpicked QB1 for his first season in Lincoln, he’s already paired Sims with a versatile offensive weapon in Josh Fleeks. Fleeks was used at Baylor in the backfield and out wide, and accounted for just under 800 total career yards over a five-year collegiate tenure.

With a top transfer QB and several key roles filled on both sides of the ball, Rhule’s efforts recruiting the transfer portal are already paying off. That group is only likely to grow, and we have yet to see what Rhule is capable of in the traditional high school recruiting world at Nebraska. If it continues at this rate, Lincoln, NE will be one of the hottest destinations for transfers and recruits in the Big Ten.

On3’s Kaiden Smith contributed to this report.