Matt Rhule has awarded scholarships to a pair of walk-ons, he announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Nebraska’s newest scholarship players tight end Nate Boerkircher and linebacker John Bullock. Both Boerkircher and Bullock are Nebraska natives.

“To me, Boerkircher has played here and he’s a starting-caliber tight end,” Rhule told reporters on Wednesday, via 247Sports. “And Bullock, as I said, has a chance to play in the NFL if things go right for him. Their teammates were pretty excited for them.” 

Boerkircher is from Aurora, Nebraska. He attended Aurora High School and joined the Huskers as a walk-on in 2020. This will be his 4th season with the program.

Last season, Boerkircher appeared in all 12 contests and started 4 games for the Huskers. He caught 6 passes for 52 yards and 1 touchdown. He has 3 years of eligibility remaining.

Bullock is from Omaha, Nebraska. He attended Creighton Prep High School and joined the football program as a walk-on in 2019. He’s entering his 5th campaign with the Huskers.

He has been a frequent special teams contributor over the past two seasons.