LINCOLN, Neb. — The future of the Nebraska football quarterback room has never looked brighter. In a major recruiting update, highly touted 2027 quarterback commitment Trae Taylor has officially been elevated to five-star status, cementing his place among the absolute elite in high school football. The news solidifies Matt Rhule’s recruiting momentum while the Huskers also position themselves perfectly for another rising signal-caller in the 2028 class.
Trae Taylor Reaches the Five-Star Stratosphere
Ever since his MVP-winning performance at the prestigious Elite 11 camp, it was only a matter of time before national recruiting services adjusted their rankings. 247Sports led the charge by bumping Taylor to a five-star prospect, placing him as the No. 8 overall player in the Top247 and the No. 1 quarterback in the country for the 2027 cycle.
While ESPN ranks him in the top 40 (just behind Michigan commit Kamden Lopati at No. 2) and Rivals places him at No. 71 overall (No. 5 among QBs), the combined bump has pushed Taylor into the coveted five-star range via the 247Sports Composite rankings.
To put his ranking into perspective, Taylor sits at No. 25 overall in the composite metric (No. 2 among QBs). This puts him in an elite historical bracket for Nebraska signal-callers, just a few spots behind current Husker star Dylan Raiola, who signed as the No. 21 overall player in the 2024 class.
Beyond his on-field talent, national college football insider Pete Nakos of On3 recently reported that Taylor is currently one of the seven highest-paid recruits in the entire 2027 class through NIL valuation—a lucrative detail that gives Nebraska fans plenty of reasons to feel secure about the strength of his commitment.
Nebraska Standing Out Early for 2028 California QB Jaxson Carper
The Huskers are not resting on their laurels when it comes to stacking talent behind center. Nebraska has emerged as an early frontrunner for Jaxson Carper, a promising 2028 three-star quarterback out of California.
Standing at an impressive 6-foot-3 and weighing 160 pounds, Carper has already attracted a healthy list of suitors, including UCLA, Arizona, Kansas, and Iowa. However, following an unofficial summer visit to Lincoln, Carper told Rivals that he «likes Nebraska a lot.»
The young quarterback intends to take Game Day visits to each of his top programs this fall before making any definitive decisions. While Arizona is rumored to have early traction, Nebraska quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas has proven to be a force on the recruiting trail. Thomas was instrumental in securing Trae Taylor, as well as 2025 four-star Elite 11 finalist TJ Lateef, who also hails from California.