Man, you ever fumble the bag and somehow end up with a better one? That’s exactly what’s cooking in Lincoln. One minute, Nebraska’s out here trying to swipe a flashy 4-star from Georgia like a thief in the night. Next minute? Matt Rhule’s whispering sweet nothings to a whole 285-pound, five-star mountain of a lineman. And this ain’t no regular o-line beef—we’re talking potential game-wrecker status. Yeah, Nebraska might’ve taken an L on one corner, but best believe they’re plotting checkmate on a different board.
Let’s keep it a buck—Matt Rhule’s been moving like a recruiting ninja. Quiet. Calculated. Cold-blooded. Nebraska’s trail is heating up quicker than a skillet in July. While most squads are still trying to figure out who’s who in 2027, Rhule pulled up with a VIP pass and started flirting with Jake Hildebrand—a whole 6’6, 285-pound 5-star outta Chandler, Arizona.
On April 7th, The Cornhuskers inside-man, Sam Dittman, hopped onto his podcast, and spilled the tea: “I want to get things started with a brand new name that I’m going to put on your radar who looks like he might be getting close to committing to the Big Red. This is Jake Hildebrand coming out of Chandler, Arizona. Five-star offensive tackle in the class of 2027, and he visited Nebraska—this Lincoln.” Word on the street? Jake ain’t just listening—he’s vibing. Nebraska got him on campus, gave him the red carpet, and let him peep spring practice.
By Sunday, the man looked like he was already trying to find his locker. What stood out? Coaching staff. Specifically, O-line coach Donovan Raiola. “He said, first things first, he loves the coaching staff. Matt Rhule obviously has built a really good connection with him. And then he had glowing things to say about Donovan Raiola. And we know—you know how Donovan Raiola is. You either love him or you hate him. There’s really no in-between. And some recruits really like him and some recruits don’t. Jake Hildebrand really, really liked Donovan Raiola.” Dittman said. That kind of old-school, real-one energy hit home with him. According to insider Sam Dittman, “If he were to commit to a school right now, he would commit to the Huskers.”
That ain’t just smoke. This is real-deal, ‘get the ink ready’ type of momentum. Nebraska doesn’t have a single commit in 2027 yet, but locking in the No. 2 offensive tackle in the whole damn country would be one way to kick in the door. Bama’s lurking. Oregon’s peeking. Arizona wants their hometown hero. But right now? Nebraska is in the pole position. Straight up.
But let’s rewind for a sec. This whole Hildebrand heater didn’t just appear outta nowhere. It’s a rebound—like when your crush dips and somehow you end up dating a supermodel. The Huskers had been chasing after 4-star DB Jontavius Wyman from Jonesboro, Georgia. A Dawgs commit since July, Wyman had Nebraska plotting a June visit, trying to flip him. And then? Man said, “It’s all about The U.” Yup. Miami snatched him up like a stolen chain.
Matt Rhule and Nebraska took L on 4-Star target Jonatvius Wyman’s recruit?
It was supposed to be a sneaky win. Jontavius Wyman—dude’s got sauce. 34 catches for 506 yards and seven scores, two picks on defense, and two punts taken to the crib? Triple-threat menace. Nebraska was on him heavy, even got him locked for an official in June. But as Sam Dittman put it, “It was announced this weekend—I want to say Saturday—that he has flipped, not to Nebraska, but to Miami.”
You could almost hear the sigh in Lincoln. They weren’t the only ones trying to flip him—USC wanted a piece, too. But Wyman went South Beach without even flinching. Now? That June visit’s looking iffy. “He might come on an official visit,” Dittman said. “But I think it’s pretty much done.” That’s a wrap, folks. Nebraska lost a dog.
But let’s not act like Matt Rhule folded. Man’s playing long game. Instead of crying over Wyman’s flip, he pivoted to a whole five-star tank. Hildebrand ain’t a quick patch-up—he’s a foundational piece. You build dynasties on lineman like him. And while folks in Coral Gables are flexin’ over a flip, Nebraska might’ve just secured a future blindside enforcer for the next superstar QB.
We ain’t saying it’s a done deal—yet. But if you listen close, the tea leaves are whispering loud. Nebraska’s on the verge of making a recruiting splash, and Matt Rhule? Man’s out here chest-deep in the water, cannonball ready. Bottom line: You can take the L on one recruit. But if that loss sets you up to land a generational O-line prospect, was it really an L? Nebraska fans, keep your eyes peeled. Look, can’t say much about 2026 recruiting, but Big Red might just be cooking something nasty for 2027.
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