Will Hawthorne holds the WLB · Depth spot in Nebraska Cornhuskers’s linebacker room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

Will Hawthorne is a 6'2", 225-pound weakside linebacker from Ames, Iowa who transfers to Nebraska after one season at Iowa State. A three-star recruit ranked 634th nationally in the 2025 class, Hawthorne redshirted during 2025 and did not appear in a game. At Gilbert High School, he earned 2024 MaxPreps Iowa High School Football Player of the Year honors as a senior. The two-time district MVP compiled 177 tackles and 28.5 tackles for loss across his prep career while adding 3,482 rushing yards and 46 touchdowns on offense. As a senior, he registered two sacks, three forced fumbles, and led Class 4A with 28 rushing touchdowns. Hawthorne currently appears on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll.

Iowa State2025

Nebraska2026 — present