College football isn’t what it used to be. This new era is turning rosters upside down. The NCAA has opened the door for direct revenue sharing between athletes and programs. Actually, that’s a win for players on paper, but as always in college football, one player’s opportunity is another player’s exit. And at the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the thunderstorm seems to have fallen hard on young wide receiver Jaidyn Doss.

The promising former four-star recruit officially entered the transfer portal earlier this month. And it raised a lot of questions, as he is still young and developing under the head coach, Matt Rhule. The HC is known to build up talent at the Big Ten program. So, when news broke out that Doss had entered the transfer portal, fans were left scratching their heads. However, the story’s way deeper than you can imagine.

It is reported that it wasn’t entirely voluntary. According to sources following the new NIL and roster compliance changes, Matt Rhule actually didn’t want to lose Doss; he was forced to. Yes, you heard that right. The NCAA recently began implementing changes tied to its House settlement, in which a waiver system was introduced for walk-ons and certain players who are now known as Designated Student-Athletes (DSA). So basically, these players are allowed to stay under the old rules, which keeps their eligibility safe. But it also comes with a drawback, as coaches have to cut players from the team to stay within the new scholarship limits.

Due to this, Nebraska had to designate which players were to be kept and which players would no longer have a secure spot under these rules. That’s where Doss’ name emerged. According to an NIL attorney familiar with the whole situation, Matt Rhule had no choice but to cut, even if it wasn’t what he wanted to do. Doss had been a part of Nebraska’s long-term plans, and his high school numbers speak for why.

Versatility wasn’t enough to save Doss’ place at Nebraska

Jaidyn Doss is a young prodigy who made headlines when he committed to Nebraska in 2023. With that commitment, he became the first Husker signee out of Missouri since 2017. He wasn’t just a regular talent. Doss was coming off a strong high school career at Raymore-Peculiar. Standing at 6 feet and weighing 195 pounds, he racked up 2,000 receiving yards and nearly 1,000 rushing yards in high school.

Doss displayed raw athleticism and the ability to contribute in multiple roles, which makes him a versatile talent in Rhule’s staff. And when we talk about his ability to adapt in multiple roles, we say it with proof. In his first year with Nebraska, the 6-footer played as a wide receiver, featuring in four games and recording two catches for 20 yards. However, it wasn’t much satisfying to him, and hoping to find more playing time, he made the switch to defensive back in 2024. But that didn’t work for him as he didn’t see any game action in the last season.

Now talking about Nebraska’s roster, both the WR and DB rooms are now loaded. On the offensive side, Rhule’s squad is looking for big things after the arrival of sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola. The receiver room is also stocked with young talent like Jacory Barney Jr., along with top transfers Nyziah Hunter and Dane Key.

For Doss, the journey at Nebraska might be ending sooner than expected, but there will still be more chapters to explore in his book. He’s still young and has three years of eligibility left in college football. Most importantly, his versatility makes his resume even stronger, whether he wants to return to his roots and play as wide receiver or stick to defensive back, he still has plenty of doors open.