Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 3 | W 34-7vs North Dakota | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 | Season-high 6 yds |
#29
Carter Nelson
Junior tight end for Nebraska. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′5″ · 240 lb · Ainsworth, NE · Ainsworth
The numbers
6
receiving yards · 2026 · through week 3
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 rec, 6 yds, vs North Dakota
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Junior tight end for Nebraska. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Nebraska in 2024.
- Nelson cleared to play for Nebraska (Jul 30) Reported
Buzz vs Tape
Country hotter than the fans
The wider college football conversation reads him warmer than his own fans do — a gap of 34.6 points in belief.
-9.6own fans
25national conversation
Carter Nelson
Shows up in the passing game from any alignment. This is his third year in the same receiving corps at Nebraska. One game to point at: 6 rec yds, 1 receptions against North Dakota — Week 3, 2026.
6 REC YDS · 1 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
20245 games
- Signed with Nebraska4-star out of Ainsworth
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Nebraska
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Nebraska
Played his entire career under Matt Rhule.
Career stats
Game log
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 3 · 2026
W 34–7
vs North Dakota
1 rec · 6 yds
Dominant 27-point win at home against North Dakota.
With A. Colandrea — 195 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 86.6 · 19 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD · J. Rule — 119 rush yds (15 car) · 2 TD
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Matt Rhule — 17-12 over that span.
2024Nebraska7-6HC: Matt Rhule · Balanced
2025Nebraska7-6HC: Matt Rhule · Run-leaning
2026Nebraska3-0HC: Matt Rhule · Run-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the TE cohort
Box-score percentiles
Concern: rec yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 1.0 REC/g, 6.0 YDS/g, 6.0 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Matt Rhule
Pass share
42.7%
90 pass / 121 run
Plays / game
70.3
3 games
Team sack rate
3.2%
95 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
How he plays
Play style
No single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Complete TE
No single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike.
TE
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Jake Tonges’s 2021 season.
73%match
Matches Jake on
EPA / play (adj)
Yards / reception
Differs from Jake on
Reception volume (lower)
Class year (lower)
Total EPA (college ability) (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Jackson Ford's freshman season at San Diego State (2025).
79%match
Matches Jackson on
Yards / reception
Height
EPA / play (adj)
Differs from Jackson on
Recruiting rating (higher)
Class year (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Carter Nelson
The tight end room · Nebraska
- #44Luke Lindenmeyer312 receiving yards · 2025
- #29Carter Nelson11 receiving yards · 2025
- #48Cayden Echternachno box-score line yet
- #49Danny Kingno box-score line yet
- #82Eric Ingwersonno box-score line yet
1 more on the roster · Nebraska team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology