Nebraska football WR, former No. 1 player in Nebraska, plans to enter the transfer portal

Second-year Nebraska football coach Malachi Coleman plans to enter the transfer portal Frosted Rhule said on Monday.

The transfer portal opens on December 9th and closes on December 28th. In the spring, the transfer portal will be open from April 16 to 25, 2025.

“I have nothing but great things to say about Malachi,” Rhule said Monday at his Iowa Week press conference.

Coleman, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound prospect from Lincoln (Neb.) East, was a four-star prospect, the No. 60 overall recruit in the 2023 class and the No. 1 recruit in the state.

Due to depth issues in the receiving room in 2023, Coleman was thrust into a large role as a true freshman. He played in 11 games with six starts and caught eight passes for 139 yards with one touchdown while also making an impact as a blocker.

Coleman underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason. In September, Rhule said the plan for Coleman was to redshirt the 2024 season. He has only played in one game this season against Rutgers on the punt return unit.

“I just think Malachi stepped up for us last year, a year where maybe he could have redshirted and tried to play,” Rhule said in September.

After the 2023 season, Nebraska added two experienced receivers Jahmal Banks and Isaiah Neyorwho both started every game this season and combined for 60 catches for 841 yards and seven touchdowns.

“We have these two big receivers out there playing well,” Rhule said of Banks and Neyor in September. “If Malachi can do it this year and he can play four games and play in the postseason, I think he would pick up right where those guys left off.”

Coleman’s possible departure would be a significant loss. No, he’s not playing and it didn’t sound like that would change for Wisconsin and Iowa. But Rhule’s vision for Coleman also includes stepping into the role that Banks and Neyor currently have and being one of the powerful wideouts on offense in 2025.

Rhule and his staff worked hard to land the highly touted recruit, but now they have to adjust their plans for the future at wideout.

Coleman was a member of one Attic chamber McGuireled space that has come under scrutiny recently. The group as a whole struggled to consistently beat man coverage and separate themselves from Big Ten defensive backs. For much of the season, the receiver screen concepts that absolutely require perimeter blocking didn’t work.

NU will lose Banks, Neyor and Isaiah Garcia Castaneda after the season. If the current receiver room remains intact for 2025, most of the experienced wideouts would be on the roster Alex bull and accessible Elliott BrownBoth of whom still have one more year of eligibility if they want it. Both Bullock and Brown went for a walk on Senior Day before the game against Wisconsin.

NU’s 2025 class includes verbal commitments from four-star receiver Isaiah Mozee and three-star athlete Tanner Terch, who plays many different positions at Littleton (Colo.) Heritage, including receiver, but is expected to end his Husker career as Defensive back will start.

Without Coleman, NU’s receiver room loses a pass catcher with great size. Real newbies Fuhrman Nelson And Quinn Clark are both 6-5, while another true freshman, Keelan Blacksmithis 6-3. Second semester Janiran Bonn and real newbie Dae’vonn room are each 6-2.

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