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On300 No. 1 prospect, Maryland EDGE commit Zion Elee adds Nebraska offer

hunterby:Hunter Shelton•about 13 hours•

HunterShelton_

Zion Elee 5 copy 1
Photo by Chad Simmons/On3

Add Nebraska to the list of programs trying to lure Joppa (Md.) St. Frances Academy five-star EDGE Zion Elee away from his commitment to Maryland.

The Cornhuskers officially jumped in the mix on Thursday, offering the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 On300. Elee has surpassed 30 total Power Four offers with the addition of Matt Rhule’s program.

Nebraska is no stranger to getting in the thick of high-profile recruitments — see current Huskers quarterback Dylan Raiola. The Big Ten program also tried to make a late run at Five-Star Plus+ offensive tackle David Sanders Jr. last cycle, though he ended up signing with Tennessee.

There’s still plenty of time to go in Elee’s recruitment, however. Programs aren’t close to giving up on recruiting the 6-foot-3 superstar, even though he’s made it known that he’s locked in with the in-state Terrapins.

“Feeling great about Maryland, I’m committed there, I feel home,” Elee told On3’s Chad Simmons last month. “I’ve gained a better relationship with the coaches after committing, too. I’m in communication with them all, talking to them more, I’ve actually been down there after the commitment and they showed me a little more love.”

Elee said at Under Armour All-America check-in that he wasn’t interested in taking any other unofficial visits, but he was still looking to take official visits at some point this year. Penn State, Oregon, LSU, USC and Alabama were mentioned at the time when Elee was asked about those still trying to get in contact.

That said, an unofficial visit to Auburn has been set for later this month. Nebraska will look to join that aforementioned group, too, and try to get the five-star up to Lincoln for a visit.

The Huskers have three commits in their 2026 class, as of Jan. 16: Winter Garden (Fla.) Windemere three-star cornerback CJ Bronaugh, Sioux Falls (S.D.) Washington three-star wide receiver Dveyoun Bonwell-Witte and Buford (Ga.) three-star QB Dayton Raiola.

Elee impresses at All-America Game

To no surprise, Elee bumped his stock up once more at the beginning of January at the Under Armour All-America Game. His explosiveness and raw talent was easy to see and it left an impression on On3’s Scouting and Rankings Team, as he was named a top performer from the week in Florida.

On3 National Scout wrote this of Elee:

“Zion Elee showed why he ranks as On3’s No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 cycle at Under Armour. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder was the most explosive pass rusher on hand, both in practice and the game. Elee’s elite combination of length and movement skills allowed him to win as a pass rusher all week long. He showed an advanced understanding of leverage and pass-rush ability during the 1-on-1 periods. We also saw him make plays as an edge setter, with strong hand usage during inside run and team periods throughout practice.

…He capped off his outstanding effort by collecting a sack, tackle for loss, and a forced fumble during the game. Elee displayed all of the physical and athletic traits that make him one of the most highly sought-after prospects in the entire country.”