Dave Tollefson is in his first season as a Nebraska defensive analyst in 2026. Tollefson first joined the Huskers following the 2025 regular season, as he worked with the NU defensive line for the Las Vegas Bowl.
Tollefson was a standout defensive end for Northwest Missouri State in 2004 and 2005. Tollefson was the conference defensive player of the year as a senior in 2005, when he set the Bearcats’ season record with 12.5 sacks. Tollefson finished his career with 21.0 sacks, ending his career with the second-highest sack total in Northwest Missouri State history.
Tollefson was selected in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft, becoming just the fourth Northwest Missouri State player to be drafted. He went on to spend six seasons in the NFL, playing in 78 games. He totaled 90 tackles and 10.5 sacks in his NFL career. In 2023, Tollefson was inducted into the Northwest Missouri State M-Club Hall of Fame.