Nebraska's Matt Rhule gives unique insight on recruiting in modern era

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule is no stranger to how much the recruiting landscape has changed over the last few decades.

From the time he took his first head coaching job at Temple to returning to the college landscape in 2023, the introduction of NIL and the transfer portal has completely flipped recruiting on its head.

Rhule joined “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday to discuss the kind of players he wants at Nebraska and the modern challenge of getting those types of players out of the transfer portal.

“With the portal, there’s no six-month recruiting period,” Rhule told McAfee. “They hit the portal and you’ve got about a week to decide if they’re right for you or not. It took me a long time to ask Julie to marry and she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, so asking a guy to come play for me after a week of knowing him is really hard.”

Rhule told McAfee that he wants players with the mentality of Kobe Bryant. He stated that he wants guys who will run through someone’s face.

However, that sort of mentality may not always show up when recruiting a player out of high school.

“Recruiting is about finding the guys who are going to be right for you and who will fit for you,” Rhule said. “Some teams are first or second every year in the recruiting rankings, but for me, it’s about who’s going come and thrive in your culture.”

Rhule’s first full class at Nebraska finished as the No. 23 class in the country according to 247Sports. That group was highlighted by five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola.

The Cornhuskers currently have 17 pledges in their 2025 class. That group ranks No. 30 nationally.

Watch the full interview below: