Five Husker seniors earn 2025 Nebraska football team awards
Five Nebraska football seniors have been selected as winners of the program’s 2025 team awards, the school announced Monday.
The group will formally receive their honors Jan. 21 at the Outland Trophy banquet in Omaha.
The recipients include defensive backs DeShon Singleton and Ceyair Wright, who were named co-winners of the Guy Chamberlin Trophy, linebacker Javin Wright, who earned the Tom Novak Award, tight end Heinrich Haarberg, who received the Cletus Fischer Native Son Award, and defensive back Derek Branch, who was selected for The Cornhusker Award.
Subscribe to get exclusive Huskers content on HuskerOnline today for just $1!
Four of the five winners have spent at least four years in the Nebraska Cornhuskers program, and all five have earned their college degrees.
The Chamberlin and Novak awards are voted on by media members who regularly cover the Nebraska program. The Native Son Award and The Cornhusker are selected by the Huskers’ coaching staff.
Singleton, a four-year contributor, anchored one of the Big Ten’s top secondaries in 2025. He earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors after ranking second on the team with 70 tackles while adding two interceptions, four tackles for loss and a sack. Singleton finished his Husker career with 163 tackles.
Wright, who spent the past two seasons at Nebraska, provided versatility in the secondary, splitting time between cornerback and nickel. He totaled 25 tackles and five pass breakups this fall, earned honorable-mention all-conference recognition and helped Nebraska field one of the nation’s top pass defenses.
Javin Wright finishes seven-year Husker career with Senior award
Javin Wright will conclude a seven-year Nebraska career in the Las Vegas Bowl. He led the 2025 defense with 83 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss, earning honorable-mention All-Big Ten accolades. Despite battling injuries and medical challenges throughout his career, Wright compiled 177 tackles as a Husker.
- 1
NewSteve Sarkisian takes brutal shot at Texas school
- 2
Ed Orgeron's new LSU salary revealed
- 3
PrizePicks founder giving $10 million to UGA MBB
- 4
The top 100 players in college football for 2026
- 5
Why Dante Moore chose Oregon over the NFL Draft
Get the On3 Top 10 Newsletter in your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
A Kearney native, Haarberg spent five years in the program and made a position switch ahead of the 2025 season. After serving as a quarterback for four years — including eight starts in 2023 while leading Nebraska to a 5-3 record — Haarberg moved to tight end and recorded eight catches for 52 yards and a touchdown. He is a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.
Branch, a Lincoln native, spent five seasons in the program as a walk-on and became a key contributor on special teams. Nebraska’s special teams units ranked among the nation’s best in 2025, with Branch playing a central role. He is a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and one of the program’s most active players in community outreach.
The Guy Chamberlin Trophy, first awarded in 1967, honors the senior who best reflects Chamberlin’s dedication and contributions to the Nebraska football tradition. The Tom Novak Award, established in 1950, is presented to the senior who best exemplifies courage and determination in the spirit of former All-America center Tom Novak.
The Cletus Fischer Native Son Award recognizes the senior who best embodies work ethic, competitiveness, leadership and pride in Nebraska, while The Cornhusker Award honors a former walk-on who made his greatest impact during his final season of eligibility.
