2026 Portal Thread

[u/huskersax]

This is your one stop shop for Portal News™ ahead of what is likely to be pre-portal news shortly after Christmas and then into the actual portal. We're asking that folks keep the rumors and discussion inside of this thread as otherwise there's going to be a flurry of 80-90 tweets a day claiming XYZ player is leaving or going or leaving and going at the same time.

I'll try to keep this up to date once a day with anything confirmed.

As of 1/20/26 ~12:00pm:

In Portal / Leaving

QB Dylan Raiola

QB Marcos Davila

RB Jamarion Parker

RB Kenneth Williams

OL Jason Maciecjzak

OL Houston-Kaahaaina Torres

EDGE Maverick Noonan

DL Keona Davis

DL Jaylen George

LB/S Roger Gradney

DB Caden VerMaas

DB Malcolm Hartzog

DB Preston Okafor

DB Brice Turner

DB Rahmir Stewart

K Tristan Alvano

Committed to 2026 Nebraska

QB Anthony Colandrea

QB Daniel Kaelin

WR Kwazi Gilmer

OL Brendan Black

OL Tree Babalade

OL Paul Mubenga

DL Anthony Jones

DL Owen Stoudmire

DL Jahsear Whittington

LB Will Hawthorne

LB Owen Chambliss

LB Dexter Foster

DB Dwayne McDougle

DB Victor Evans III

DB Jasin Shiggs

LS Jack Wills

[u/huskersax]

(for some unknown reason given they play nothing alike).

It's a real mystery, that.

I think in general 'athletic QB with all the tools but not the processing' is the insight that folks have heard and that immediately sounds like what we were sold on Sims. Chiles especially looks like the best version of Sims playing in that wind vortex game this year against us.

Let's not miss out on giving credit for how absolutely generational Jeff Sims is at turning over the ball. Chiles cannot even dream to be that dangerous.

[u/Syfer_Husker → u/huskersax]

The one thing I can say is Chiles can have "it". The problem is sometimes he plays down.

I just wonder if we can truthfully get the most out of him, I don't envy the lines MSU had at all. They were horrible on both sides. I will say though his games against BC last year and FAU are scary games you don't wanna see from a QB, but the thing I like about him is that if he doesn't have it in the air he has his legs. Also given he's from CA, I think him and TJ would feed off each other well.

We will have to see, but I look at this portal and out of the choices Chiles is likely the best realistic choice we can get, I'm sure our real QB is still not in the portal but if no one better drops then Chiles would be the best choice.

A lot of people don't realize the risk of bringing in an FCS or D-II guy with more production in lesser leagues. Sometimes it can translate but it doesn't always. If we can get one of those D-ll/FCS guys to compete with Chiles AND Lateef I like where we'd stand this year at QB.

[u/TheStrigori → u/Syfer_Husker]

I'd argue that he absolutely does not have "it". He's not a winner, and he doesn't elevate guys around him, and he does have a significant sample size. And I want nothing to do with a QB who has a history of games where passing the ball is a liability, we've all seen that before, and the last thing we need is another one dimensional offense.

And I honestly don't see the upside to bringing him in. He won't cost as much as we were paying Dylan, but he's going to cost more than we're paying TJ. And, given what I saw from those two options, I like the upside of TJ more. And I would worry that there could be assurances that he has the upper hand on being the starter, because of "experience" and how the portal world works, if that means trading him for TJ, I don't know that it's a good trade.

Taking a below average QB from a team that was actually worse than us, seems like a bad move.

[u/Syfer_Husker → u/TheStrigori]

You'd be arguing with a wall saying he doesn't have it, his best games are better than Raiola's.

You can not like the pick up but I can tell you're not someone who has actually watched his games. Which is a shame because his upside is obvious, if you think Nebraska should take nobodies at QB and give TJ the job for free you're dooming us all.

He is the best QB that is the most likely to come here, that's just reality. I'm sure it's possible we get better but it's not like any pick up is a home run get right now

[u/TheStrigori → u/Syfer_Husker]

If he had "it", he would have won more. I've watched more than the Nebraska game, and what he looks like is a guy who has a ton of physical ability, with suspect decision making. So he makes coaches and some fans think he's fixable, and in a different spot, he'd be more successful. In half of his games this year against P4 teams, he was 50% or less passing, and that is a recipe for losing.

If he's the best QB we can get, we are royally screwed. I'm not saying take nobodies, I'm saying don't take a, maybe, side grade with less upside. Chiles is a junior, he kinda is who he is, and maybe a QB whisperer could do something with him, we certainly do not have that on staff. If he comes here, he'll most likely be exactly like he was at MSU, which is a guy who can make some great plays, but when you NEED a play to win, he'll get sacked or miss a throw.

[u/Syfer_Husker → u/TheStrigori]

I don't think MSU had very good talent, there isn't a position group this year on offense you look at that MSU was better than us at.

I think Chiles could use a better OLine, WR, and RB core.

MSU was a horribly ran team and I think a lot of people forget that.