Coveted quarterback prospect Trae Taylor is still months away from becoming eligible to actually put pen to paper, but he announced his verbal commitment to the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Thursday.

One of the top passers in the 2027 recruiting class, Taylor cannot formally sign with Nebraska until the early signing period in December 2026. However, that did not stop the 6-foot-3, 185-pound QB from pledging his allegiance to the Cornhuskers.

Taylor broke out as a sophomore at Carmel Catholic High School in Illinois last fall, throwing for 3,061 yards and 20 touchdowns against seven interceptions. The four-star prospect is the No. 35 recruit in the country, No. 3 quarterback and No. 2 player in Illinois, according to the 247Sports composite rankings for the Class of 2027.

In an interview with ESPN, Taylor said he has been recruited since sixth grade and received a scholarship offer from Maryland the following year. Taylor also said he will not visit campuses other than Nebraska, which he opted for over Illinois, LSU and Texas A&M.

“Sitting down with (Nebraska coach Glenn) Thomas and getting into the offense, seeing how he coaches (starting QB) Dylan (Raiola) and how he can prepare me for the next level — I really just can’t wait,” Taylor told ESPN. “For me, it’s kind of hard committing too early because I have to wait so long to get there.”

–Field Level Media