Five players in the portal Nebraska should target

The wait is over as Nebraska announced Matt Rhule will become the next head coach for the Cornhuskers after a two-plus year stint with the Carolina Panthers in the NFL.

Rhule will return to the college game, where he has a stellar track record of rebuilding programs at both Temple and Baylor.

There are plenty of positions Nebraska could use a boost at and hitting the transfer portal will no doubt be a point of emphasis as the Cornhuskers strive to become contenders in the Big Ten sooner, rather than later.

We take a look at some top transfers Nebraska should target to begin the Matt Rhule era.

Casey Thompson was a prized transfer Scott Frost brought in last offseason and the former Texas signal-caller flashed for Nebraska this past season, throwing for 2,407 yards with 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Thompson could return if he desires, but a lot of factors will weigh in his decision with injuries to his arm and shoulder being the biggest. If Thompson decides to call it a career, Chubba Purdy and Logan Smothers are suitable options but there will be candidates in the portal worthy of consideration.

For now, former Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier is the cream of the crop of signal-callers that is currently in the portal. Throughout his career with the Broncos, Bachmeier tallied 6,605 yards passing with 41 touchdowns and just 19 interceptions.

Trey Palmer was a huge success for Nebraska this past season. The former LSU product hauled in 71 catches for 1,043 yards and nine touchdowns for the Cornhuskers and is now heading to the NFL Draft.

There are a couple of notable pass-catchers in the portal the Huskers could look at to inject more excitement in their passing attack.

Jackson has two years of eligibility remaining after entering the portal before the season opener for Ole Miss. The former Rivals250 prospect got caught up in a numbers game entering the 2022 season after hauling in 12 passes for 244 yards during the 2021 season while appearing in 11 games.

The former Texas A&M Commerce pass-catcher has already picked up plenty of power five offers since entering the portal last week - Miami (Fla.), Louisville, Wisconsin, Purdue, and Arkansas just to name a few. He's got the size, listed at 6-foot-6, and is coming off a 2022 season where he dominated, hauling in 62 catches for 1,020 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 16.5 yards per catch.

Braun remains one of the most highly-regarded offensive lineman that is currently in the portal. The former four-star prospect recently visited Florida State and UCF, so the odds of him leaving the state of Florida seem pretty slim, but he's someone Rhule should at least reach out to. Braun started in seven games at both right and left guard for the Gators during the 2021 season.

Other intriguing offensive lineman available in the portal currently is Nick Garguilo (Yale), an All-Ivy League selection with experience at both left tackle and center, and Ben Hoitink (Penn), another All-Ivy League selection who started at left guard.

Currently, Roderick is the most experienced and productive safety option in the transfer portal, having started 34 games at South Carolina while recording 205 tackles, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions during his tenure. He played in three games this season, dealing with injuries before entering the portal in October.

Roderick should provide a big defensive boost to any team he joins for his final year of eligibility.

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