It was not the best end of the season for Nebraska football, as they lost three of their last four games to finish the season 7-5. This has led to Matt Rhule making changes to his staff as they prepare for the 2026 campaign. They will also be losing one of their top players as Emmett Johnson has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.
“To my teammates, thank you for pushing me, believing in me, and battling beside me every single day. The brotherhood we've built on and off the field has been invaluable, and I will carry the lessons, memories, and camaraderie with me forever. Lastly, to the Nebraska fans, the best in college football, your unwavering support has meant the world to me,” Johnson posted in a long letter to fans on X, formerly known as Twitter. “After much prayer and reflection, I am officially declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. Thank you, Nebraska. GBR Forever!”
Johnson, the fourth-year junior, had a stellar final season at Nebraska. He ran for 1,451 yards and 12 scores. Further, he brought in 46 receptions for 370 yards and found the end zone three times. He became just the second player in the Big Ten in the last 20 years to hit 1,400 rushing yards and 350 yards receiving, joining Saquon Barkley of Penn State in 2015.
The Nebraska running back was named a First-Team All-Big Ten player while also earning the Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year award for the conference.
“Now if you're a really good player, unless you're going in the first or second round, you're probably going to make more money in college than you are at the pro level,” head coach Matt Rhule said about players leaving early for the NFL. “So you see the number of guys going off to the NFL (early) dwindle. When you go and look at it, even guys who get drafted, once you leave college there's not many guys – there's not a lot of football after that. The league is so violent, the league is so difficult, that if you can make money in college it's really worth thinking about. Because the money is guaranteed, the money at the next level is not guaranteed.”
While Rhule did not address the Johnson decision directly, he did note he would support any decision his running back made. Until then, Nebraska will be waiting to find out which bowl game it is heading to, with or without Johnson in the lineup.
