Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 49-21vs Ohio | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 56-7vs Bowling Green | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#96
Williams Nwaneri
Sophomore edge rusher on Nebraska's 2026 roster.
6′7″ · 265 lb · Lee's Summit, MO · Lee's Summit North HS / Missouri
CFB Index 39 · #274 of 420 edge rushersMedium confidenceReturning to Nebraska for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026
2 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Bowling Green
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 edge rusher on Nebraska's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 5-star recruit to Missouri in 2024.
- Transferred from Missouri to Nebraska in 2025.
Williams Nwaneri
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. Williams Nwaneri has played for two head coaches across three seasons and two programs. The receipt: 1 tackles against Bowling Green — Week 2, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Missouri5-star out of Lee's Summit North
202510 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Badges
- Top-10 Recruit
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Nebraska
Played his entire career under Matt Rhule.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Missouri10-3HC: Eli Drinkwitz · Run-leaning
2025Nebraska7-6HC: Matt Rhule · Run-leaning
2026Nebraska2-0HC: Matt Rhule · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 1.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.5 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Matt Rhule
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
39 · #274 of 420 edge rushers
Former five-star. Now #274 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #46 of 69 Big Ten DLs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 56–7
1 TOT · 1 SOLO · 1 PD
Dominant 49-point win at home against Bowling Green.
With A. Colandrea — 222 yds · 4 TD · 1 INT · QBR 52.8 · 33 rush yds (4 car) · J. Barney Jr. — 8 rec · 115 yds · 2 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Nebraska
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Edge · Nebraska
Returning around him
- 1 Nebraska player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -2 net (17 in / 19 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Nebraska · Last season: 7-6 (AP #25) · Talent rank #22 · 2026 recruiting class #88
DNA match
Player DNA
3-Tech Penetrator
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
EDGE
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Bruno Dall’s 2025 season.
72%match
All-MAC
Matches Bruno on
TFL rate
Sack rate
Weight
Differs from Bruno on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Alex Wright's sophomore season at UAB (2021).
75%match
All-Conference USANFL Rd 3 · Pk 14
Matches Alex on
Weight
TFL rate
Hurry rate
Differs from Alex on
Class year (lower)
Sack rate (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Williams Nwaneri
The defensive line · Nebraska
- #93Kade Pietrzak6 tackles for loss · 2025
- #96Williams Nwaneri5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #44Jahsear Whittington3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #5Riley Van Poppel2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #11Cameron Lenhardt2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
16 more on the roster · Nebraska team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology