LINCOLN, Neb. — Former Missouri edge rusher Williams Nwaneri, a five-star prospect in the recruiting class of 2024, will transfer to Nebraska.
Nwaneri, 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds, entered the transfer portal on Thursday after a redshirt season at Mizzou out of Lee’s Summit North High School in the Kansas City area. He was rated by the On3 industry average as the No. 7 recruit nationally a year ago, the top player in the state of Missouri and the No. 1 edge rusher.
His high school coach, Jamar Mozee, works at Nebraska for Matt Rhule as a senior football assistant.
BREAKING: Missouri True Freshman Transfer EDGE Williams Nwaneri has Committed to Nebraska, he tells @on3sports
The 6’6 265 EDGE will have all 4 years of eligibility remaining
Was ranked as a Five-Star Plus+ Recruit in ‘24 (No. 1 EDGE)https://t.co/vZxF8av6oz pic.twitter.com/23vMwHN3fy
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 12, 2024
Nwaneri visited Nebraska three times as a prospect, most recently in March 2023 as the Huskers targeted several four- and five-star players alongside quarterback Dylan Raiola. Raiola soon after committed to Georgia but flipped to Nebraska in December of that year ahead of signing day.
Nearly every top program nationally pursued Nwaneri during a prep career in which he accumulated 23 sacks and was selected to play in the 2024 Under Armour All-America Game. He took official visits to Tennessee, Oklahoma, Georgia and Mizzou.
Nwaneri pledged to the Tigers in August 2023. His decision coincided with the passing of a state law in Missouri that allowed prospects to collect NIL compensation while in high school after they signed with an in-state public university.
Mozee joined the Huskers in July 2024 after a short stint at UCF that followed his nine seasons at Lee’s Summit North. Mozee’s reputation and connections in Kansas City helped Nebraska flip linebacker Dawson Merritt from Alabama in the 2025 recruiting cycle and offensive lineman Juju Marks from Kansas.
Mozee’s son Isaiah, a wide receiver, also flipped to Nebraska from Oregon.
Nwaneri will join a Nebraska defense that has ranked in top 20 nationally in yards allowed per game during each of the past two regular seasons. The Huskers lost defensive coordinator Tony White and D-line coach Terrance Knighton to Florida State this month. Five defensive linemen remain in the portal from Nebraska, including Jimari Butler, a two-year starter at Nebraska.
Rhule promoted John Butler to DC, and Nebraska is in the process of hiring Terry Bradden as defensive line coach after his eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
(Photo: Eric Canha / Imagn Images)
