Leading up to Big Ten Football Media Days in Chicago, Huskers Illustrated is examining each position group for Nebraska. Position groups: Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Offensive Line, Defensive Line, Linebacker, Defensive Back, Specialists.

Today: Linebacker

Owen Chambliss and Vincent Shavers Jr. should hold down this position, but there is plenty of talent to step in and rotate as needed. Dawson Merritt looks primed for a jump in his sophomore season. Dexter Foster could push Shavers for a higher share of snaps. That’s a good problem to have. In the same vein as the defensive line, this group needs to step up against the run game, but a new system with defensive coordinator Rob Aurich should also aid in that regard.

But what does a 4-2-5 mean for the linebackers? The “2” is specific to that group. With the five defensive backs on the field, the two linebackers are primarily in the box. Identifying run fits with the four linemen in front of them, this group will be crucial for a better ground defense in 2026.

Whereas those in the front and the back have at least one new coach, the linebackers continue to be led by Rob Dvoracek, with Phil Simpson handling the outside linebackers.

Dvoracek has spent eight of his 10 seasons in coaching on a Matt Rhule staff. Nebraska has ranked in the top 30 nationally in total defense in each of his first three seasons in Lincoln.

Simpson originally arrived at NU with Rhule in 2023 as a defensive quality control coach. After a year at Florida State as an analyst, he returned to Lincoln to help with the linebackers.

Perhaps nobody is more important in the middle of the defense than Shavers. He made a huge impression in 2024, when PFF College had him as the highest-graded true freshman linebacker in the country. In his encore in 2025, he was one of four Huskers to eclipse 60 tackles on the season. His 7.5 tackles for loss ranked second on the team.

Merritt is looking to take the next step in his second year of collegiate football. He battled injuries as a true freshman, but still played in eight games, with a pair of starts. Of his eight tackles on the season, five came against Akron and Houston Christian.

Further down the expected depth chart but likely to get some rotational run is redshirt freshman Pierce Mooberry. In his four games last year, he had two tackles. He brings a Blackshirt legacy to the position, as his father, Brandon, played defensive end at Nebraska from 1996 to 2000.

Another redshirt freshman looking to crack the three-deep will be Christian Jones. The Nebraska native out of Omaha Westside played in just two games in 2025, making one tackle.

Transfers vs. Returners

Transfers will play a big role at this position.

Shavers is likely to be a starter due to his experience and talent. The other will be Owen Chambliss, the transfer out of San Diego State, who brings previous knowledge of Aurich’s scheme to the table. Between his two seasons at SDSU and one at Utah, Chambliss has started 20 of 25 games he’s appeared in, totaling 142 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and 4.0 sacks, adding five pass breakups, one interception, and one fumble recovery.

Looking to push both Shavers and Chambliss will be Oregon State transfer Foster. In two seasons with the Beavers, he played in 19 games, making 11 starts. He had 95 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, and 1.0 sack.

Looking to crack the three-deep is Will Hawthorne, a redshirt freshman transfer out of Iowa State. The former four-star prospect was high on Nebraska’s recruiting board before he picked the Cyclones. Now, he’s in Lincoln, and the coaching staff is excited for his future.

Two three-star linebacker commits are already in for the 2027 class.

Eli Harris, one of four commits from Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia, committed just a week before Lee’s Summit North (MO) product Caleb Green. As juniors, Harris notched 67 tackles, with 17.0 of those being for loss, while Green racked up 145 tackles and 14.0 TFLs.