3 backup plans for Nebraska if Matt Rhule misses on Dylan Raiola

Nebraska could play the waiting game for Stone Saunders in 2025

Obviously, an ideal scenario for Nebraska football would be to land a quarterback the program can feel confident in moving forward in the 2024 recruiting class, even if it’s not Dylan Raiola. At the same time, though, if the chips fall not in the Huskers’ favor, it’s also been made clear that the administration is going to be patient with Rhule in building this.

In that patience, there is also the chance that Jeff Sims, who was one of the standouts of this year’s spring game after transferring in from Georgia Tech, could surprise some people in the 2023 season. Given that he has two years of eligibility remaining, it’s entirely feasible for Rhule to roll with Sims for the next two years and then really set his sights on recruiting quarterbacks for 2025.

That’s where Stone Saunders would come into play for Nebraska football.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound passer from Harrisburg, PA appears to be the type of recruit who could be a tone-setter for Rhule’s tenure in Lincoln. Blessed with a big arm and good physical tools overall, he’s already got an offer from the Huskers but also has offers from the likes of Michigan, Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Wisconsin and more.

If Rhule is confident in Sims and what he could also potentially find in the transfer portal moving forward, there are worse options for the long-term outlook of Nebraska football than biding time until they can go hard after Saunders and making the 2025 recruit the cornerstone for the offensive rebuild that they initially hoped Raiola would be.

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