Claude Mpouma is a true freshman offensive lineman for Nebraska, standing 6'8" and weighing 260 pounds. The Chicago native attended Mount Carmel High School, where he started at left tackle as a senior and helped lead the program to a 14-0 record and Class 8A state championship in 2025. Mount Carmel averaged more than 37 points per game that season. Mpouma played only two high school football seasons after arriving in America as a teenager, beginning his organized football career at Wendell Phillips Academy as a junior. He earned an invitation to the Navy All-American Bowl and was a consensus four-star recruit, ranking 153rd nationally and 18th among offensive tackles in the 2026 class. Mpouma also earned state championship honors in basketball during his high school years.

Nebraska2026 — present