Top 40 Huskers for 2023: 26-30
With Nebraska football’s 2023 season around the corner, the HuskerOnline team voted on the top 40 Huskers for Matt Rhule’s first season.
The voting criteria was to rank the players based on importance to the team, overall talent and future potential for the upcoming season. Our voters focused specifically on the 2023 season, not future seasons or a player’s long-term importance or future talent.
The voting panel consisted of HuskerOnline Publisher Sean Callahan, columnist Steven Sipple, senior writer Robin Washut and staff writer Abby Barmore. Each voter submitted their own Top 40 list from which the votes were tallied.
We continue our series with the top 26-30 players. The group includes Nebraska’s likely backup quarterback, two key linebackers and a pair of pass-catchers.
30. Chubba Purdy, QB, Soph.
| Sean | Sipple | Robin | Abby |
| 35th | 31st | 31st | 26th |
Quarterback Chubba Purdy had a good spring and has a leg up over sophomore Heinrich Haarberg for the backup QB job. Jeff Sims has the starting job locked down. But, if we’ve learned anything about the last few seasons, the backup QB will likely play.
In 2022 when starting quarterback Casey Thompson went down, Purdy played in six games with two starts. He completed 22-of-48 passes for 147 yards and rushed for 73 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries.
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound sophomore started on the white team during Nebraska’s Red-White spring game. As the starter for the second string, Purdy went 4-for-9 for 39 yards. He rushed for 22 yards on four attempts with a 17-yard run.
With Nebraska’s starting QB going down several times over the last few seasons, Purdy will need to be ready to jump in. But he’ll have Haarberg hot on his tail.
29. Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda, WR, Jr.
| Sean | Sipple | Robin | Abby |
| 36th | 32nd | 33rd | 22nd |
Wide receiver Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda gave Nebraska a few glimpses of his potential in 2022. However, he decided to redshirt after four games and enter the transfer portal.
The 6-foot-0, 185-pound receiver had a huge debut game in a Huskers jersey. Against Northwestern in Ireland, he caught four passes for 120 yards with a 58-yard reception and a 32-yard touchdown.
Garcia-Castaneda’s touchdown catch was his first as a Husker and the first score of the Northwestern game. He reached over a cornerback to perfectly snatch the ball out of the air.
Garcia-Castaneda withdrew from the transfer portal to join Rhule’s squad. He will be a key piece in the Huskers’ wide receiver group along with Billy Kemp IV, Marcus Washington and Zavier Betts.
28. John Bullock, LB, Jr.
| Sean | Sipple | Robin | Abby |
| 34th | 27th | 20th | 34th |
Linebacker John Bullock has really impressed Rhule and Nebraska’s coaching staff. Rhule moved Bullock from the secondary to linebacker and watched as his skills fit there better. Bullock’s new position suited him so much that he earned a scholarship after this spring.
With Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich out during the spring game, Bullock started with Jimari Butler and MJ Sherman at linebacker. The Huskers are serious about Bullock and he will be in the linebacker rotation this fall.
Bullock has very limited college playing experience at linebacker, as he recorded one tackle in 2022 during his 10 games on special teams. As a redshirt freshman in 2021, the Creighton Prep product had five tackles during 12 games on special teams.
27. Jimari Butler, LB, Soph.
| Sean | Sipple | Robin | Abby |
| 17th | 33rd | 35th | 30th |
Linebacker Jimari Butler was one of the three Husker players that withdrew from the transfer portal to return to Nebraska. The sophomore now plays the ‘jack’ position, a linebacker/edge hybrid in the Huskers’ defense.
During his redshirt freshman year, Butler showed his pass-rush ability and that it is still strengthening. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound backer played in every game last season, including on both defense and special teams. He had nine tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one pass breakup.
Butler’s speed and ability to react quickly will be highlighted at the ‘jack’ position. He and MJ Sherman have teamed up to wreak havoc in the pass rush. His continued growth will be critical for Nebraska’s linebacker core.
26. Arik Gilbert, TE, Soph.
| Sean | Sipple | Robin | Abby |
| 20th | 37th | 34th | 21st |
Tight end Arik Gilbert and Nebraska are crossing their fingers that Gilbert is eligible for the 2023 season. He transferred from Georgia and will need his waiver approved before playing for the Huskers.
Gilbert spent his freshman season in 2020 with LSU. He caught 35 passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. The 6-foot-6, 260-pound tight end was named to the Freshman All-SEC team.
He transferred to Georgia for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, where he played three games and recorded two catches.
During Nebraska’s spring game, Gilbert started on the second team, with Thomas Fidone and Nate Boerkircher on the first. Gilbert didn’t record a pass during the scrimmage but was thrown several catchable balls.
Gilbert is very important to Nebraska’s tight end group, as there isn’t much experience outside of the top three.
