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Bryson Williams will not continue his father’s college football legacy at the University of Nebraska. He was not given the opportunity.
Instead, he’ll suit up for Iowa State. The safety shaded Matt Rhule after being snubbed on the recruiting trail.
Williams is a member of the 2026 class. He plays his high school football at Westside in Omaha. Despite the proximity, he was not extended an offer by the hometown Huskers.
Bryson Williams will not play for the Nebraska football team.
The three-star defensive back is considered a Top 10 player in the Cornhusker State. He holds offers from notable college football programs to include Vanderbilt, Washington State, Colorado State, Northern Illinois, and Fresno State.
Iowa State was the first Power 4 team to extend an offer. He committed to play for the Cyclones in June.
The Nebraska snub is surprising on a number of fronts. Obviously, he plays right down the road from Lincoln. Given his standing as a top local prospect, interest from the Cornhuskers seemed likely.
Secondly, his father, Jamel, was a two-time national champion on the ’94 and ’95 teams. He earned second-team All-Big 12 honors as a senior before being selected in the 1997 NFL Draft.
Those ties played no role in his Nebraska football recruitment. He says the Cornhuskers never even came to his school, though they did reach out to teammates for game invites while refusing to put Williams on the list.
It’s a trend that’s been discussed under the new coaching staff. Nebraska is not recruiting its own state.
Matt Rhule believes he is superior.
“We carry ourselves like a Top 20 team in the country,” he said while speaking on his current outlook. “There’s a lot of kids I’d love to recruit. If they’re committed to a Big 12 school or somewhere else like that – come to camp. If you want to play in the Big 12 over the Big Ten, I got it. But make no mistake, there’s a big difference.
“I love the state. I love the players. We’ve taken some as walk-ons, some as scholarship players. I just have to be sure that they’re good enough… Desperate teams always set the market.”
Nebraska is a national brand, in part thanks to Jamel Williams’ contributions during a dominant run in the 1990s. They’ve chosen to recruit as so, going outside the state lines to secure talent.
The approach helped Rhule land a Top 20 class in 2025. That 20-man group consisted of five high school players from Nebraska.
It’s continued into 2026, where the Cornhuskers hold just one commitment from a local recruit.
The program brought in six new defensive backs in the most recent haul. The position is no longer a priority for the staff. Neither is locking down local talent.
Bryson Williams put Matt Rhule on blast while discussing his commitment to Iowa State.
“What stood out about the Cyclones was that they took a chance on me. They were the first Power Four team to take a chance on me so I’ll take a chance on them. They have the best secondary in the Big 12 and run a great scheme. They know how to develop players like me.
“Nebraska never contacted me. Never came to my school or invited me to a game but invited some of my teammates despite my dad being a two-time national champ for them and also getting drafted.”
-Bryson Williams
Iowa State is cleaning up in the state of Nebraska. Williams is one of six players from the area in the 2026 class.
There appears to be some animosity over the snub on Williams’ end. He’ll look to prove Rhule wrong with the Cyclones.