How Nebraska’s Matt Rhule Secured a 4-Star WR Away from Powerhouses Texas and Ohio State—What’s Next?

Nebraska football may’ve stumbled with a tough, nail-biting loss to USC last Saturday, and let’s not forget—they’re heading forward without their starting QB, Dylan Raiola, nursing a broken fibula. But hey, every cloud’s got a silver lining, right? Monday brought a refreshing gust of optimism as Matt Rhule and the Cornhuskers pulled off a major recruiting coup, snagging four-star wide receiver Tay Ellis—yes, Ellis chose Nebraska over the football powerhouses Texas and Ohio State. Imagine that! Could this be the spark Nebraska needs to flip the script? Ellis, a Fort Worth native, isn’t just any recruit—he’s declared his mission to become the best WR in Nebraska history. Now, that’s a headline that grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go. Curious how Rhule and the coaching staff worked their magic to nab such a prized catch? Let’s dive in and unpack the story behind this exciting commitment and what it might mean for the Huskers’ future. LEARN MORE.

Nebraska football took a rough and narrow loss to USC Saturday. Matt Rhule and the Cornhuskers won’t have starting quarterback Dylan Raiola moving forward with a broken fibula. But they earned a big college football recruiting win over Texas and Ohio State Monday.

The ‘Huskers landed four-star Tay Ellis, with Hayed Fawcett of On3/Rivals dropping his commitment edit. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound wide receiver from Fort Worth even sent a stirring message in his commitment announcement.

“GBR I’m coming to be the best WR in Nebraska history!” Ellis said via Fawcett.

The Crowley High standout becomes one of the biggest recruiting coups for Nebraska in the 2027 class.

How Nebraska, Matt Rhule won over 4-star WR

Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback TJ Lateef (14) hands the ball off to running back Emmett Johnson (21) against the Southern California Trojans during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium. — Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Nebraska is no stranger to landing high profile recruits under Rhule. Raiola was a five-star find on the recruiting trail.

Yet it’s rare that Nebraska beats out two notable WR hotbeds in Texas and Ohio State. Both schools have become NFL factories in pumping out future wideout talent.

So how did Rhule and company win over the explosive WR? His future position coach Daikiel Shorts courted Ellis, the WR told 247Sports’ Tom Loy.

“I spent a lot of time with Coach Shorts. Our relationship keeps getting stronger every time we talk or link up,” Ellis said. “He keeps it real and just tells me how I’d fit perfectly in their offense and how they see me as a player who can come in and make plays early. We talked a lot about development, not just as a player but as a person too, and that really meant something to me.”

He added the “big picture” reason on why he felt Lincoln is his future CFB home.

“Big picture, what stands out about Nebraska is the culture and the people,” Ellis told Loy. “Everyone there genuinely cares, from the staff to the fans. They’re building something strong and I could see myself fitting in with that.”

He’s the second four-star WR addition in over a month for Nebraska (Jabari Watkins committed on Sept. 26). The ‘Huskers now have five verbal commits for the ’27 class.

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