How Nebraska's football transfers have fared since leaving Lincoln

Since Scott Frost became Nebraska's 30th head football coach, there have been numerous roster departures from Lincoln. Starting in 2018, there have been at least 67 players leave for various reasons.

Some were no doubt significant losses from the team who could have helped improve NU's chances of winning some games, some retired from the game for medical reasons, and others were just flat-out missus in scouting, development or both.

HuskerOnline.com brings you our breakdown of the significant transfers out of the program, as well as the rest of the defections.

These are the former Husker players who, if they had stayed around, would have been starters and significant contributors to Nebraska's fortunes on the field. The sting factor is most pronounced with these handful of transfers.

WR/APB Wan'Dale Robinson (Kentucky) -- He was one of the gems of Nebraska's Class of 2019 as a Rivals100 designee and All-American game participant. He went back and forth committing to Kentucky and Nebraska, and stayed in Lincoln for two seasons. He was named a second-team freshman All-American, and led NU with 51 catches for 461 receiving yards despite playing only eight games and splitting duties at running back as a sophomore.

In his first season at Kentucky, Robinson had 94 receptions for 1,164 yards with seven touchdowns. He earned second-team All-SEC honors and is considering declaring early for the NFL draft. He has two seasons of eligibility left on the collegiate level. Yahoo Sports NFL Draft analyst Eric Edholm wrote in October. "Robinson looks like a starting slot receiver in the NFL with great yards-after-the-catch ability who can also be used as a runner and punt returner."

ILB Avery Roberts (Oregon State) - Roberts originally signed with the Mike Riley staff, and he was part of an exodus of several players from Nebraska to Oregon State. He was a Rivals100 prospect, and he played in all 12 games as one of two true freshmen to play for Nebraska in the 2017 season. He recorded four tackles, all on special teams.

After sitting out a year when he got to OSU, Roberts led the Beavers with 83 total tackles as a sophomore while starting in 10 games. As a junior, he played in and started six games, recording 69 tackles. In 2021, Roberts had an impressive 123 total tackles to go along with 2.5 sacks and an interception. He was named first-team All-Pac-12 by the league's coaches after the past two seasons and earned some All-American mention by Phil Steele and others. He has officially declared for the 2022 NFL Draft, forgoing his final season of COVID eligibility.

RB Greg Bell (San Diego State) - Coming to Nebraska from the junior college ranks, he never 'clicked' while in Lincoln for whatever reason. But he took off like a duck in water at San Diego State. This past season, he rushed for 1091 yards, at 4.5 yards per clip, with nine touchdowns. He also rushed for 637 yards [5.6 ypc] and six touchdowns in 2020, and added 133 receiving yards and one score.

Four quarterbacks have transferred from Nebraska to other college programs since Scott Frost took over as head coach in Lincoln.

QB Noah Vedral (Rutgers) - He played one season at Central Florida before following Coach Frost back home to Lincoln where he was the backup for Adrian Martinez. Vedral saw his most time as a Husker in 2019 when he completed 34 of 52 passes [65%] for 418 yards.

As the primary starter at Rutgers for the past two seasons, Vedral has completed 60% of his passes for approximately 3,000 combined passing yards, with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He is also rushed for 473 yards and three touchdowns. The Scarlet Knights compiled a 5-7 record in 2021, and a 3-6 record in 2020.

Patrick O'Brien (Colorado State) - He originally signed with the Mike Riley staff and played sparingly in 2017, completing 18 passes for 192 yards with one interception. He was also sacked seven times. After sitting out a post-transfer year in Colorado State, his best season as a Ram was in 2019 when he threw for 2,800 yards [62% completions] with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He is now a graduate transfer at the University of Washington.

Tristan Gebbia (Oregon State) - Another Mike Riley signee, he was part of the heralded 2017 recruiting class that mostly fell apart and did not live up to its billing. In his two seasons of spot duty for the Beavers, Gebbia completed 62% of his passes for approximately 1200 yards, with five total touchdown passes and four interceptions. He was injured in a controversial play against Oregon late in the 2020 season and did not play in 2021.

Adrian Martinez (Kansas State) - After compiling over 10,000 yards of total offense during his four seasons at Nebraska, Martinez will be playing his last year of collegiate ball for the Wildcats in the Big 12.

WR Tyjon Lindsey (Oregon State) - He had 874 total yards from scrimmage in his three combined seasons playing in Corvallis. Not quite living up to the standards of the No. 62 rated player in the country for the Class of 2017.

P Caleb Lightbourn (Oregon State) - After redshirting in 2019, he played in all seven games of the Beavers COVID-shortened 2020 season. He punted 13 times with an average of 40.2, and he trapped opponents inside their 20-yard line twice. He finished with 11 touchbacks on kickoffs.

QB Luke McCaffrey (Louisville to Rice) - He lasted about one week at Louisville before transferring to Rice where he completed 31-of-62 passes for 313 yards, with two touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed for 132 yards on 41 carries [3.2 ypc].

TE Kurt Rafdal (Boise State) - In 2021, he had eight receptions for 95 yards and one touchdown.

WR/PR JD Spielman (TCU) - In his two seasons of playing for the Horned Frogs, he had 13 total receptions for 181 yards with two touchdowns. Spielman had averaged approximately 850 yards receiving in each of his three seasons at Nebraska.

WR Kade Warner (Kansas State) - He had 11 receptions for 124 yards this past season at Kansas State.

OL Boe Wilson (Western Kentucky) - He helped to lead WKU to a 9-5 record and a bowl win over Appalachian State in 2021. He was named second-team All-Conference USA and to The Athletic's All-Portal Team. 2021 was his sixth year of college football.

Ben Miles -- Texas A&M

Bryan Brokop -- Retired

Michael Decker -- Retired

Andrew Ward -- Central Michigan

Keyan Williams -- Ball State

Willie Hampton -- JUCO - Garden City

David Engelhaupt -- Retired

Matt Snyder -- Retired

Will Jackson -- Unknown

Jalin Barnett -- Medical

Tre Bryant -- Medical

Sedrick King -- Retired

Dominic Watt -- Non-qualifier - Garden City

Willie Canty -- Non-qualifier - Garden City/Highland

Guy Thomas -- Coahoma CC to Colorado

Jacob Weinmaster -- Medical

Justin McGriff -- Asa JUCO to Utah State

Breon Dixon -- Iowa Western to Missouri State to Alabama A&M

Quayshon Alexander -- Towson

Cam Jones -- SMU

CJ Smith -- Albany State

Miles Jones -- Tennessee walk-on but never made roster

Tyrin Ferguson -- Dismissed

Andre Hunt -- transfer portal

Katerian LeGrone -- transfer portal

Maurice Washington -- transfer portal

Pernell Jefferson -- Arkansas Monticello

John Raridon -- retired from the game

Tony Bulter -- Senior Grad transfer to Kent State

Jaylin Bradley -- South Dakota State but never played

Darien Chase -- Portland State

Barret Pickering -- Medical to portal to South Alabama

Jaevon McQuitty -- Medical to South Dakota

Henry Gray -- FIU

Jaron Woodyard -- Marshall

Jaiden Francois -- UCF

Keyshawn Greene -- FAU to back in the portal

Ronald Delancy -- Toledo

Marcus Fleming -- Maryland

Keem Green -- South Carolina

Matthew Anderson -- Louisana Lafeyette to back in portal

Will Farniok -- Tulsa

Niko Cooper -- Western Kenucky

Demariyon Houston -- Hutchinson C.C.

Jamie Nance -- Utah State

Ronald Thompkins -- Medically retired

David Alston -- Montana State

Branson Yager -- Medical scholarship

Jimmy Fritzsche -- Transfer Portal

Jamin Graham -- Transfer portal

Marvin Scott -- Transfer portal

Jackson Hannah -- Transfer portal

Malik Williams -- Transfer portal