Nebraska’s breakout running back Emmett Johnson – the Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Year and a Minnesota-made phenom – announced Friday he’s skipping his senior season to chase NFL dreams. No Tuscaloosa touchdown, no Crimson Tide takeover. Instead, it’s pro prospects for the 6’1”, 215-pound workhorse who exploded for 1,821 all-purpose yards and 15 TDs in 2025, earning comparisons to a young Saquon Barkley. But whispers from insiders paint a juicier “what if”: A jaw-dropping $1.5 million NIL offer from Alabama that nearly lured him south, only for Johnson’s deep-rooted loyalty to the Huskers – and a counter-punch from Lincoln’s collectives – to keep him Big Red… at least for one more magical year.
This isn’t just a draft declaration; it’s a snapshot of 2025’s chaotic CFB landscape, where faith, family, and a fat check collide. Johnson’s choice? To bet on himself early, revealing a heartfelt reason that transcends the dollars: “After much prayer and reflection,” he posted on X, “I am officially declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. Thank you, Nebraska. GBR Forever!” The real story, though? How close he came to flipping the script on Nebraska’s rebuild – and why he didn’t.
🏈 Johnson’s Meteoric Rise: From 3-Star Sleeper to Big Ten Beast
• 2023 (Sophomore): 90 carries, 411 rush yards, 2 TDs – plus 46 receiving yards. A solid backup to Rahmir Johnson (no relation), he flashed vision and burst.
• 2024 (Junior): Took the reins with 117 carries for 598 yards and 1 TD, adding 39 catches for 286 yards and 2 scores. Big Ten Freshman of the Week nods followed.
Career Huskers stats: 2,460 rush yards, 15 TDs, 92 catches for 702 yards and 5 scores. No fumbles. Zero drama – until the portal buzz hit.
💰 The NIL Whirlwind: Alabama’s $1.5M Mega-Offer and the “Landscape-Shifting” Temptation
Why Bama? Kalen DeBoer’s revamped Tide offense craves a dual-threat RB like Johnson to pair with Justice Haynes and replace Jase McClellan (NFL-bound). Early-season film showed EJ’s SEC-ready patience, elusiveness, and pass-pro chops – perfect for a playoff push. “This move could’ve supercharged Alabama’s backfield depth,” one SEC scout told ESPN. “He’s Day 2 NFL stock now; imagine him in Tuscaloosa’s lab.” Portal chatter exploded: #EmmettToBama trended briefly, with mock graphics of him in garnet and white.
Nebraska? They didn’t flinch. The Platte River Collective (led by alums like Tom Osborne’s network) countered aggressively – reports of a $800K-$1M NIL bump over his current revenue-share deal ($450K base, per On3 estimates). But money wasn’t the decider. Johnson’s camp shopped offers from Ole Miss, Miami, and Oregon too – all north of $1M – yet Lincoln’s pull won.
❤️ The Real Reason: Faith, Family, and “GBR Forever” Over the Bag
In a tearful IG Live Friday night (now with 2M+ views), Johnson got raw: “Alabama was tempting – real tempting. That $1.5M? Life-changing for my family back in Minnesota. But after praying on it, talking to my mom, my coaches… Nebraska’s home. GBR isn’t just words; it’s who I am.” He cited Rhule’s mentorship (“Coach believed in me when no one else did”), the sellout Memorial Stadium crowds (“That sea of red? Electric”), and his role mentoring younger Huskers like Rahmir Johnson and incoming 4-star Dante Dowdell.
It’s vintage EJ: The kid who redshirted to grind, who led Bible studies in the dorms, who turned down FCS bags for Nebraska’s vision. “NIL’s the game now, but it can’t buy loyalty,” he said. “I’m going pro to provide, but I stayed an extra year to finish what we started – bowl win, then chase that ring.” (Irony: NFL projections have him as a Day 3 pick – $3.9M-$4.2M over four years, per PFN – but Rhule noted post-announcement: “Y’all make more in college now than pros sometimes.”)
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