Starting out with our position group previews on the defensive side of the ball, we have the defensive line. A position group of emphasis, under Matt Rhule coached teams, this year’s group will have some big shoes to fill heading into a 2025 season replacing two NFL caliber starters from last year in Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher, along with a potential NFL draft pick in the 2026 draft in Edge Jamari Butler who transferred to LSU during the offseason.
Another player of note fitting in the “Leaving” category is James Williams. Williams, who recorded 5.0 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss in 2024, opted to follow former defensive coordinator Tony White and position coach Terrance Knighton to Florida State over the offseason.
I say all this to point out that Nebraska’s new defensive line coach Terry Bradden had his work cut out for him over the offseason in order to reload a Blackshirt defensive line that was one of the best in the country at stopping the run the last two seasons in a row.
2025 Defensive Line Players Leaving Graphic
2025 Defensive Line Players Leaving Graphic / Graphic By: Trevor Tarr
Now, moving on to expected contributors, Nebraska returns a wide variety of promising players for the upcoming season. While experience and age are two categories that Nebraska may lack in, this coaching staff has a certain quite confidence about them in regard to how they feel about the outlook of the defensive line group this season.
Eerily similar to the running back room situation, while the fanbase may have more questions than answers, the coaching staff has had opportunities to make changes to their rosters for the better and have, in both instances, proven they’re willing to roll with what they’ve got.
2025 Defensive Line Expected Contributors Graphic
2025 Defensive Line Expected Contributors Graphic / Graphic By: Trevor Tarr
Starting out with the veteran in the room, Elijah Jeudy is a familiar but under-the-radar player within the fanbase. Last season, as a junior, Jeudy played in all 13 games with one start at Iowa. Though he took reserve snaps last season, backing up Nash Hutmacher at nose, Jeudy is looking to improve upon his Pinstripe Bowl performance, and possible best game as a Husker, where he recorded 2 solo tackles and one fumble recovery.
Next, Cam Lenhardt, who Husker fans should be excited that this coaching staff was able to keep. After a phenomenal freshman campaign where he played in 10 games (sat out for injury in two) and started in four, Lenhardt had many believing he could be the next great Nebraska pass rusher. In his sophomore season, a mixture of added depth and situational substitutions got in the way of Lenhardt getting as much playing time as he did as a freshman.
From his time at the mic, Nebraska fans should be happy to hear that Lenhardt is ready to take on a leadership role this season. When asked how he felt about taking on more responsibility for the room, Cam said he’s “Taking pride in that [leadership]”.
Defensive lineman Keona Davis during a 2025 Nebraska football spring practice
Keona Davis / Nebraska Athletics
Fans should also be very enthusiastic of Nebraska’s youth in the room. Sophomore’s Keona Davis and Riley Van Poppel are both highly respected players in the program already and are sure to see the field early and often in 2025. These two players have potential to start all 13 games for the Nebraska defense next season.
Nebraska also went into the transfer portal to help supplement the loss of production from last year. To the team’s success, they were able to add three expected contributors within this year’s class.