Northwestern is sitting pretty in terms of 2017 recruiting right now.
A day after landing three-star wide receiver Kyric McGowan, the Wildcats have 18 commitments in their class. And there’s still more than a month until the season opener.
So the questions on fans’ minds right now are “how many scholarships are left?” and “who’s going to be the next commit?” After talking to sources and prospects, WildcatReport will attempt to address those questions.
As far as the number of commitments Northwestern will take goes, the Wildcats have A LOT of flexibility. They could take as many as four more, and they may not take any more, said one source. It all depends primarily on who wants to commit, and then which current players they decide to invite back for a fifth year, which walkons to reward with a scholarship, etc.
Scholarship numbers are always fluid, but it may be more fluid than usual this year because coaches feel like they’ve already addressed their needs with the commits they have right now. So don’t expect Northwestern to take a reach at this point.
The smart money, however, is on two or three more commitments. It would be a surprise if they took zero and it would be a surprise if they took four. Anywhere in the middle is the most likely.
So who will those commitments be? There aren’t many names left on the board right now, but those are the ones on which Northwestern is focused. Don’t expect any more offers to go out unless someone on their radar puts together a lights-out first few games of their senior season.
Who would Northwestern like to get? In WR’s opinion, it would be a cornerback-athlete (Elijah Hicks or Russ Yeast), a tackle (Ryan Nelson), and then maybe a best-available type (Scott Nelson or Jordan Genmark-Heath). Those aren’t the only names on the board, but let’s take a look at these five:
Jordan Genmark-Heath: The three-star athlete/outside linebacker from San Diego (Calif.) Cathedral Catholic has to be, to borrow from Dos Equis, “the most interesting recruit in the world.” The self-proclaimed “@SwedishBlackGuy” is a Ugandan/Jamaican who grew up in Stockholm and moved to the U.S. at age 13 to pursue football. He just returned from an overnight visit to Northwestern earlier this week and WildcatReport hopes to interview him soon. Odds: 75 percent. Northwestern has the best combination of academics and athletics on his offer list, and he’s certainly not afraid to travel.
Elijah Hicks: The three-star cornerback from La Mirada (Calif.) has 10 Pac-12 schools on his offer list, including USC and UCLA. The odds would seem to be stacked against Northwestern in that case, but his 4.0 GPA, a brother that graduated from Penn and Ivy League schools on his offer list says the Wildcats are still in the hunt. Hicks, who has a strong bond with DB coach Jerry Brown, told WildcatReport that he is strongly considering taking an official visit to NU. Odds: Less than 50/50. NU has a shot, but it will be tough to pull an LA kid out from under USC’s and UCLA’s noses.
Ryan Nelson: The three-star tackle from Buena Park (Calif.) poses the same challenge for Northwestern that Hicks does. He told WildcatReport last night that he doesn’t currently plan to visit Northwestern but that the Wildcats are still in the running and he would consider taking an official. He said that Arizona, Utah and Virginia are the three schools recruiting him the hardest right now. One hope for NU: he is intent on leaving California to go to college. Odds: 25 percent. Northwestern seems to be on the outside looking in at this point.
Scott Nelson: There’s no question that Northwestern likes the three-star Detroit (Mich.) University of Detroit Jesuit standout. The Wildcats offered him as a safety, but then landed three safeties. They then told him he could come in as a wide receiver, but have now landed three WRs. However, Northwestern would still take Nelson as a best available. He took an overnight visit to NU in June and has the Wildcats in his Top 5, along with Iowa, Michigan State, Penn State and Wisconsin. Odds: Less than 50/50. WildcatReport sees him going Green.
Russ Yeast: The three-star cornerback/athlete from Greenwood (Ind.) Center Grove announced a Top 6 of Auburn, Illinois, Iowa, Louisville, Ole Miss and Northwestern just last week. Then Alabama offered and, to no one’s surprise, the Top 6 became a Top 7. Yeast visited Northwestern in May. His father, Craig, is a former Kentucky star, and even though Russ decommitted from Kentucky, the SEC pull will be big. Odds: 25 percent. Expect Yeast to wind up at Alabama.
A day after landing three-star wide receiver Kyric McGowan, the Wildcats have 18 commitments in their class. And there’s still more than a month until the season opener.
So the questions on fans’ minds right now are “how many scholarships are left?” and “who’s going to be the next commit?” After talking to sources and prospects, WildcatReport will attempt to address those questions.
As far as the number of commitments Northwestern will take goes, the Wildcats have A LOT of flexibility. They could take as many as four more, and they may not take any more, said one source. It all depends primarily on who wants to commit, and then which current players they decide to invite back for a fifth year, which walkons to reward with a scholarship, etc.
Scholarship numbers are always fluid, but it may be more fluid than usual this year because coaches feel like they’ve already addressed their needs with the commits they have right now. So don’t expect Northwestern to take a reach at this point.
The smart money, however, is on two or three more commitments. It would be a surprise if they took zero and it would be a surprise if they took four. Anywhere in the middle is the most likely.
So who will those commitments be? There aren’t many names left on the board right now, but those are the ones on which Northwestern is focused. Don’t expect any more offers to go out unless someone on their radar puts together a lights-out first few games of their senior season.
Who would Northwestern like to get? In WR’s opinion, it would be a cornerback-athlete (Elijah Hicks or Russ Yeast), a tackle (Ryan Nelson), and then maybe a best-available type (Scott Nelson or Jordan Genmark-Heath). Those aren’t the only names on the board, but let’s take a look at these five:
Jordan Genmark-Heath: The three-star athlete/outside linebacker from San Diego (Calif.) Cathedral Catholic has to be, to borrow from Dos Equis, “the most interesting recruit in the world.” The self-proclaimed “@SwedishBlackGuy” is a Ugandan/Jamaican who grew up in Stockholm and moved to the U.S. at age 13 to pursue football. He just returned from an overnight visit to Northwestern earlier this week and WildcatReport hopes to interview him soon. Odds: 75 percent. Northwestern has the best combination of academics and athletics on his offer list, and he’s certainly not afraid to travel.
Elijah Hicks: The three-star cornerback from La Mirada (Calif.) has 10 Pac-12 schools on his offer list, including USC and UCLA. The odds would seem to be stacked against Northwestern in that case, but his 4.0 GPA, a brother that graduated from Penn and Ivy League schools on his offer list says the Wildcats are still in the hunt. Hicks, who has a strong bond with DB coach Jerry Brown, told WildcatReport that he is strongly considering taking an official visit to NU. Odds: Less than 50/50. NU has a shot, but it will be tough to pull an LA kid out from under USC’s and UCLA’s noses.
Ryan Nelson: The three-star tackle from Buena Park (Calif.) poses the same challenge for Northwestern that Hicks does. He told WildcatReport last night that he doesn’t currently plan to visit Northwestern but that the Wildcats are still in the running and he would consider taking an official. He said that Arizona, Utah and Virginia are the three schools recruiting him the hardest right now. One hope for NU: he is intent on leaving California to go to college. Odds: 25 percent. Northwestern seems to be on the outside looking in at this point.
Scott Nelson: There’s no question that Northwestern likes the three-star Detroit (Mich.) University of Detroit Jesuit standout. The Wildcats offered him as a safety, but then landed three safeties. They then told him he could come in as a wide receiver, but have now landed three WRs. However, Northwestern would still take Nelson as a best available. He took an overnight visit to NU in June and has the Wildcats in his Top 5, along with Iowa, Michigan State, Penn State and Wisconsin. Odds: Less than 50/50. WildcatReport sees him going Green.
Russ Yeast: The three-star cornerback/athlete from Greenwood (Ind.) Center Grove announced a Top 6 of Auburn, Illinois, Iowa, Louisville, Ole Miss and Northwestern just last week. Then Alabama offered and, to no one’s surprise, the Top 6 became a Top 7. Yeast visited Northwestern in May. His father, Craig, is a former Kentucky star, and even though Russ decommitted from Kentucky, the SEC pull will be big. Odds: 25 percent. Expect Yeast to wind up at Alabama.
