Nebraska’s offensive line has added a big Tree to its layout.
Tree Babalade became the latest Husker portal commitment on Tuesday morning, sources confirmed. Perhaps a fit at right tackle, but he’s shown flexibility working on each side at his previous school South Carolina.
He becomes the second O-lineman the Huskers have added from the portal, joining Iowa State transfer Brendan Black. While Black could be a solution to replace Rocco Spindler at right guard, the South Carolina transfer Babalade could provide another tackle option for a line that only has center Justin Evans and left tackle Elijah Pritchett set to return.
Nebraska prioritized both portal linemen, bringing them in for the first wave of visits over the weekend. The Huskers also have a full scout on Babalade from run game coordinator Lonnie Teasley having coached him at South Carolina.
The 6-5, 330-pound Babalade started nine games at left tackle as a true freshman, playing a season-high 623 snaps in 2023.
After a redshirt season in 2024, he was was a backup at the start of the 2025 season but moved into the starter’s role at right tackle during the middle of the year, with 15 starts now to his name over his three-year career. He played 421 snaps with an overall PFF grade of 60.1. His best work came in the pass blocking category with a mark of 68.5, while he had a 55.0 in run blocking.
Some of Babalade’s best pass blocking efforts came against the best competition, with high grades against Oklahoma and Vanderbilt.
Babalade still has two years to play and Black has one, with both being potential options for that right side of the line, though we’ll wait to see where new Husker O-line coach Geep Wade slots guys after getting them on the grass.
Wade and Teasley have had a longstanding connection prior to coming to Lincoln and the early feedback from players like the left tackle Pritchett has been positive. The coaches will look to lead the Nebraska offensive line to another step with additions like Babalade and Black obviously important in making that so.
“I’ve known Geep over 10 years. We see football the same way as well,” Teasley said recently on the Huskers Radio Network. “Me and him would talk in the offseasons in the past about football. We’d talk about recruiting. So it’s going to be really fun to get the chance to work with him now.”
Teasley said Wade has high standards of how the O-line is going to play.
“And then football can be complex but he makes it simple for the guys.”