Nebraska fans are excited for their 2025 season. And they have every reason to be so. Dylan Raiola is coming back looking significantly better. Matt Rhule stands a chance of publishing at least 10 wins. The head coach is also busy recruiting new talent. “I want them [recruits] to see our precision, our attention to detail,” Rhule said last month. “I want them to see the atmosphere; I want them to see that there’s no silos.” But despite such passionate talk, rumors about Husker commits flipping from Nebraska gain speed. And they paint a muddled picture for the HC.

The rumor mill targeted 2026 recruits CJ Bronaugh and Dveyoun Bonwell-Witte. They are members of an already slim-looking Nebraska class, which has just 4 players at the moment. Nebraska sits at No. 53 in the 2026 cycle, and their move threatens to push the program further down the rankings. Bronaugh is a cornerback out of Windermere. When he committed to Nebraska last year in 2024, he had a three-star rating. So far, he has produced 30 tackles (3 TFL), 6 INT (3 pick sixes), 4 PBU, 2 sacks, and a FF in 8 appearances. But Bronaugh is now a rising star.

He clinched track championships in both 100m and 200m and also managed to be named MVP of DBs at Under Armour Next Camp this year. That’s led to some key players coming back to circle above him. And there are some huge players in the mix too, like Penn State and Florida. Here’s where Wilson Dittman provides the kicker.

“He’s announced that he will be taking official visits to three other schools.” They are the PSU, Florida, and Florida State. “[You] have a current commit who’s not only taking visits to other programs, but taking an official visit to other programs. That tells you that he’s probably not 100% locked in.”

But Dittman thinks Rhule still has a high chance of retaining him. “Nebraska invested in him when he was a very low prospect. He’s starting to blow up. He has a lot of loyalty to Nebraska, but he’s looking at some other programs as he should.” He was also confident that Florida State will not be able to flip Bronaugh because they’re “not going to win” this season. Nevertheless, FSU is still actively pursuing CJ Bronaugh and has secured an official visit from him on June 13.

WR Bonwell-Witte, however, is a different story. “He’s just a good prospect, but he’s not a great prospect,” Dittman said. He is the 136 WR in the 2026 class and has a 3-star rating. “And with our brand-new wide receiver coach, Daikiel Shorts Jr., he’s only going for a great prospect.” Also, Bonwell-Witte was recruited by Garret Maguire, the former WR coach. Because he’s gone, Dittman expects the WR to follow him out as well. “I just don’t know how bad he actually wants him,” he added.

Matt Rhule is turning the ship around at Nebraska, as he did in Baylor and Temple. He’s building a new culture at Lincoln, and wants Dylan Raiola to take charge of it.

Matt Rhule wants Dylan Raiola to live up to leadership expectations

Come June, Rhue is going to have his hands full. The month is extremely important from a recruitment perspective. The staff is not allowed to hit the road, and the team is sent into overdrive, making June the most demanding period in the off-season. As a result, Rhule plans to let things slow down in July when HCs and other top staff step out for recruiting. He wants Dylan Raiola to take the reins then and follow the strategy that will be enacted by lower-order coaches.

“What’s happened is we have a group of guys that have, you know, said, ‘Hey, I’m going to take on a leadership role.’ And I know I know Dylan’s, the one in the press conference, acknowledged some of those names. But you know, they came to me with a plan, and I just told him, I said, I don’t want to hear about your plan, just do it.” The HC told the HuskerOnline podcast. Raiola, who is expected to start with a bang in 2025, has already become the face of Nebraska.

Dylan emerging as a true leader in his 2 year is already the talk of the town, and it looks like he’s taking the notion seriously as well. Meanwhile, let’s not forget that as impressive as Raiola was last year, there are also some equally troubling stats. He was sacked 27 times and also threw 11 interceptions in 2024. The QB is working hard to overcome his flaws and has notably cut down on his weight, too. But as he develops his game, his position in the team makes him liable to guide the other players. Will he be able to hold the fort down as Matt Rhule is away recruiting? Rhule needs to convert those pursuits into recruits without losing any on the way too. For that, he needs Raiola to come through.