It didn’t exactly rival the June that the Cleveland Cavaliers had, but Northwestern’s recruiting staff is pretty happy about the month they just completed.
The Wildcats entered June with 13 commitments. They had four primary position needs targeted on their recruiting board at that point: they wanted an offensive tackle, a kicker and two wide receivers.
Check, check, check and check. Northwestern managed to get commitments at all four of their primary needs within the period of a few days in June.
Unheralded wide receiver Jace James got the ball rolling by committing on June 12, just two days after picking up his offer from Northwestern at a camp. The very next day netted two new Cats as kicker Charlie Kuhbander and tackle Ethan Wiederkehr both gave Pat Fitzgerald their verbals on June 13. Finally, wide receiver Berkeley Holman pledged on June 17.
The net result was Northwestern going 4-for-4 in terms of satisfying their needs.
So with all of their primary objectives met, what’s next for Wildcat 2017 recruiting? With 17 commitments already in the fold before July 1, the Wildcats can afford to be patient with their last of an expected three or four scholarships remaining (the actual number is, as usual, fluid). They wouldn’t mind landing another tackle, a running back, a cornerback and/or another linebacker. But the kid has to be a stud -- someone who already has an offer or wows them with senior film, most likely.
Take running back, for example. WildcatReport recently reported that the two top prospects with offers, Bryant Koback and Deon Jackson, are no longer interested in Northwestern. The Wildcats could’ve immediately offered Michael Silva, a running back who impressed them at a June camp and is on their second tier. But they have decided to wait. Silva told WildcatReport that the staff told him that they will likely make a decision in late July or early August on whether to offer him. It could go longer than that.
At offensive tackle, a couple of their top targets, Joel Honigford and Andrew Steuber, both committed to Michigan this week. Again, the Wildcats could reach down to their second tier now but probably won’t, preferring to wait and see what comes their way. They may decide to not even go with another tackle if a “best available” type of player emerges. Plus, there’s always the chance that a tackle -- particularly in the case of a Jim Harbaugh pledge -- winds up decommitting down the line.
That’s one of the built-in advantages that having more commitments than all but one school in the Big Ten (Rutgers, with 19) and three in the nation (Rutgers, Arizona and Western Michigan) affords them.
The NCAA dead period began on Monday and will stretch through July 10. For Northwestern, it may extend well beyond that, at least for 2017 prospects.
2018s, however, are another matter. The other big advantage to getting so much accomplished so quickly is that coaches can put that much more focus on building their next class.
The Wildcats entered June with 13 commitments. They had four primary position needs targeted on their recruiting board at that point: they wanted an offensive tackle, a kicker and two wide receivers.
Check, check, check and check. Northwestern managed to get commitments at all four of their primary needs within the period of a few days in June.
Unheralded wide receiver Jace James got the ball rolling by committing on June 12, just two days after picking up his offer from Northwestern at a camp. The very next day netted two new Cats as kicker Charlie Kuhbander and tackle Ethan Wiederkehr both gave Pat Fitzgerald their verbals on June 13. Finally, wide receiver Berkeley Holman pledged on June 17.
The net result was Northwestern going 4-for-4 in terms of satisfying their needs.
So with all of their primary objectives met, what’s next for Wildcat 2017 recruiting? With 17 commitments already in the fold before July 1, the Wildcats can afford to be patient with their last of an expected three or four scholarships remaining (the actual number is, as usual, fluid). They wouldn’t mind landing another tackle, a running back, a cornerback and/or another linebacker. But the kid has to be a stud -- someone who already has an offer or wows them with senior film, most likely.
Take running back, for example. WildcatReport recently reported that the two top prospects with offers, Bryant Koback and Deon Jackson, are no longer interested in Northwestern. The Wildcats could’ve immediately offered Michael Silva, a running back who impressed them at a June camp and is on their second tier. But they have decided to wait. Silva told WildcatReport that the staff told him that they will likely make a decision in late July or early August on whether to offer him. It could go longer than that.
At offensive tackle, a couple of their top targets, Joel Honigford and Andrew Steuber, both committed to Michigan this week. Again, the Wildcats could reach down to their second tier now but probably won’t, preferring to wait and see what comes their way. They may decide to not even go with another tackle if a “best available” type of player emerges. Plus, there’s always the chance that a tackle -- particularly in the case of a Jim Harbaugh pledge -- winds up decommitting down the line.
That’s one of the built-in advantages that having more commitments than all but one school in the Big Ten (Rutgers, with 19) and three in the nation (Rutgers, Arizona and Western Michigan) affords them.
The NCAA dead period began on Monday and will stretch through July 10. For Northwestern, it may extend well beyond that, at least for 2017 prospects.
2018s, however, are another matter. The other big advantage to getting so much accomplished so quickly is that coaches can put that much more focus on building their next class.
