With Nebraska’s 2026 season around the corner, the HuskerOnline team voted on the Top 40 Husker players going into Matt Rhule’s fourth campaign in Lincoln.
The voting criteria were to rank the players based on their importance to the team, overall talent, and future potential for the upcoming year. Our voters focused specifically on 2026, not future seasons, a player’s long-term importance, or future talent.
The voting panel consisted of HuskerOnline publisher Sean Callahan, columnist Steven Sipple, senior writer Robin Washut, and staff writer Abby Barmore. Each voter submitted their own Top 40 list from which the votes were tallied.
Other Top 40s: 36-40 | 31-35 |
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WR Quinn Clark (Photo credit: Ken Juszyk/HuskerOnline)
30. Quinn Clark, WR
Of the Huskers who have a chance to break through, Quinn Clark is right at the top of the list. At 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, the son of the late and former I-back Ken Clark has positioned himself to make an impact this fall.
During his redshirt freshman season, he flashed significant upside. Despite just five receptions, the Bozeman (Mont.) native provided explosive plays with 132 yards and a touchdown. In fact, three of those five snags resulted in 30+ yard gains.
While Nyziah Hunter, Jacory Barney, and Kwazi Gilmer project as Nebraska’s top three wideouts, Clark’s length on the outside should be a valuable asset for Anthony Colandrea. The pair already showed a glimpse of their chemistry in the spring game after Clark hauled in a one-handed touchdown.
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Nebraska defensive back Rex Guthrie (Photo credit: Casey Fritton/HuskerOnline)
29. Rex Guthrie, DB
Rex Guthrie surged as a redshirt freshman last year to take over for Marques Buford at safety in the middle of the Michigan game and never looked back. His 63 tackles ranked third on the Huskers, 19 of which came via STOPs. Only Vincent Shavers returns more STOPs to the Blackshirts.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder faced growing pains down the stretch of the season with low PFF grades. However, Guthrie played through a significant shoulder injury that hampered him towards the tail end of the season.
After missing spring ball recovering from his shoulder surgery, the sophomore from Littleton (Colo.) should be full-go at the start of fall camp. It’s also worth noting how highly the coaching staff views the former three-star product of Heritage. Guthrie will be in the thick of the highly competitive DB competition over fall camp.
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RB Isaiah Mozee (Photo credit: Ken Juszyk/HuskerOnline)
28. Isaiah Mozee, RB
After transitioning to a brand new position as a rookie, Isaiah Mozee finally has a firm grip on what to expect as a running back. Entering as a four-star receiver in 2025, he shifted to the backfield due to the need for depth last summer.
With Emmett Johnson off to the Chiefs, the Huskers are counting on Mozee to produce. Despite limited action last year, he racked up 115 yards at a healthy 4.4 per carry and a long of 21. The Kansas City (Mo.) native also highlighted his wideout background with 155 yards on 14 catches.
Mozee projects to be part of a three-headed committee alongside sophomore Mekhi Nelson and true freshman Jamal Rule. Now standing at 6-foot and a true 210 pounds, he looks like a Big Ten tailback. Add in his versatility in the passing game, and he expects to contribute early and often to the revamped Dana Holgorsen offense.
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Owen Stoudmire (Photo by Casey Fritton/HuskerOnline)
27. Owen Stoudmire, DT
A wildcard who could be a much-needed staple up front is Boston College transfer Owen Stoudmire. He only appeared in two games last year due to an injury, but the Huskers are counting on him to be a factor in the D-line rotation.
At 6-foot-1, 290 pounds, Stoudmire boasts 47 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks in five years of college football. His best season as an Eagle came in 2024 when he recorded 30 of those tackles.
Simply put, Nebraska added the Creston (Ohio) native to plug gaps after surrendering 4.82 ypc last fall. If Stoudmire can remain healthy and hold his own on the Big Ten line of scrimmage, NU’s defensive line may be in solid shape.
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Nebraska edge Anthony Jones. (Photo by Abby Barmore/HuskerOnline)
26. Anthony Jones, Edge
Similar to Stoudmire, UCLA transfer Anthony Jones’ impact may dictate the Blackshirts’ success at the line of scrimmage.
Entering his fifth season of college, the Huskers mark his fifth school, all of which are now in the Big Ten. He has made 37 appearances and 14 starts over that time, recording 58 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, and 3.5 sacks. Of that output, the 6-foot-5, 265-pound edge racked up 20 tackles (10 STOPs) and 1.5 sacks last year.
Despite the wobbly road, edge coach Roy Manning and Co. are enamored of what Jones could bring to an NU pass rush that just got home for 22 sacks last year. The Las Vegas (Nev.) native’s veteran experience may be just what Nebraska needs to boost its D-end production in the Big Ten.
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