Northwestern hosted several prospects for its final game of the regular season against Illinois on Saturday.
With just a couple potential spots left for 2017, the Wildcats are more focused on the future, as well as potential walkon candidates for the current class.
With that in mind, WildcatReport focuses on four recruits that we reached over the weekend in this recruiting notebook – one for 2017, two for 2018 and one for 2019.
A potential walkon for 2017: DE Cole Jacobs of Naperville (Ill.) North is a preferred walkon candidate who is mulling whether to play football in college, and then whether to play at NU.
He’s an athletic 6-foot-4, 205-pounder who also plays water polo at Naperville North.
“We have been talking a lot and it sounds like a have a spot on the team as a recruited walk-on if I want it.”
Jacobs doesn’t have any offers at this point but says it will come down to Northwestern or Illinois if he decides to play football. The Illini offered him a preferred walkon spot for football and are still considering him for a potential scholarship. He's also a water polo star who is being recruited by Navy, Air Force, Santa Clara and several Ivy League schools, so he could decide to go that route.
Jacobs said that his visit to Northwestern was the best one he’s been on – and that includes Illinois. “The visit was awesome, I really enjoyed the presentation and hospitality. It was much better than any others,” he said.
Jacobs is currently working on his application to NU. He has a 3.85 GPA and scored a 32 on his ACT.
A 2018 who could be close to an offer: Tackle Michael Furtney of Milan (Mich.) already has nine offers but would really like to add Northwestern to his list.
“I was really impressed with everything that they had told us,” said Furtney of his visit. “The coaching staff was very generous with their time. I talked with Coach Cushing for about 30 minutes. Their new facility that they are building sounds amazing too.”
Furtney, an unranked 6-foot-5, 265-pounder, has offers from seven MAC schools, plus Cincinnati and Princeton. He said that Adam Cushing visited his high school last month to check him out and has been in close contact since.
“I would like to think that they are close (to offering) but I have no idea,” he said. “They said all of the right things and I feel that I am doing everything to be the football player that Northwestern requires. I plan on going back during spring practices no matter if I have an offer or not. I was very impressed.”
A 2018 to keep an eye on: Recruiting 2017 commit Charlie Kuhbander netted Northwestern a kicker to take over for Jack Mitchell. It also opened coach Randy Bates’ eyes to 2018 offensive lineman Aaron Ervin.
“They started recruiting me I think in September or October…,” said Ervin. “I believe discovered me after offering Charlie because he gave me Coach Bates’ card and told me that he wanted me to be in contact with them.”
What caught Bates’ eye? Probably that Ervin is 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds.
Ervin is still looking for his first offer but is certainly intrigued by Northwestern. The Wildcats’ interest is piqued as well.
“Coach Bates and I discussed about me coming up to the spring game and taking a trip and watching some of their fall camp practices,” he said.
A 2019 who will likely blow up: Northwestern is in early on a speedy South Carolina sophomore who is already drawing quite a bit of recruiting attention.
Akele Pauling of Columbia Ben Lippen School is just 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds but is getting looks from NU, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, The Citadel and Harvard. He plays both cornerback and wide receiver but coach Marty Long is recruiting him as a wideout.
“I had a great visit this weekend,” said Pauling. “I was really impressed with the coaches and the campus, looking forward to coming back!”
“The first thing that stands out to me is the high standards for academics. Secondly I really love the Northwestern football program. The Coaches made me feel really welcome.”
Pauling says he is planning to camp at Northwestern this summer.
(2015 highlights; 2016 not available.)
With just a couple potential spots left for 2017, the Wildcats are more focused on the future, as well as potential walkon candidates for the current class.
With that in mind, WildcatReport focuses on four recruits that we reached over the weekend in this recruiting notebook – one for 2017, two for 2018 and one for 2019.
A potential walkon for 2017: DE Cole Jacobs of Naperville (Ill.) North is a preferred walkon candidate who is mulling whether to play football in college, and then whether to play at NU.
He’s an athletic 6-foot-4, 205-pounder who also plays water polo at Naperville North.
“We have been talking a lot and it sounds like a have a spot on the team as a recruited walk-on if I want it.”
Jacobs doesn’t have any offers at this point but says it will come down to Northwestern or Illinois if he decides to play football. The Illini offered him a preferred walkon spot for football and are still considering him for a potential scholarship. He's also a water polo star who is being recruited by Navy, Air Force, Santa Clara and several Ivy League schools, so he could decide to go that route.
Jacobs said that his visit to Northwestern was the best one he’s been on – and that includes Illinois. “The visit was awesome, I really enjoyed the presentation and hospitality. It was much better than any others,” he said.
Jacobs is currently working on his application to NU. He has a 3.85 GPA and scored a 32 on his ACT.
A 2018 who could be close to an offer: Tackle Michael Furtney of Milan (Mich.) already has nine offers but would really like to add Northwestern to his list.
“I was really impressed with everything that they had told us,” said Furtney of his visit. “The coaching staff was very generous with their time. I talked with Coach Cushing for about 30 minutes. Their new facility that they are building sounds amazing too.”
Furtney, an unranked 6-foot-5, 265-pounder, has offers from seven MAC schools, plus Cincinnati and Princeton. He said that Adam Cushing visited his high school last month to check him out and has been in close contact since.
“I would like to think that they are close (to offering) but I have no idea,” he said. “They said all of the right things and I feel that I am doing everything to be the football player that Northwestern requires. I plan on going back during spring practices no matter if I have an offer or not. I was very impressed.”
A 2018 to keep an eye on: Recruiting 2017 commit Charlie Kuhbander netted Northwestern a kicker to take over for Jack Mitchell. It also opened coach Randy Bates’ eyes to 2018 offensive lineman Aaron Ervin.
“They started recruiting me I think in September or October…,” said Ervin. “I believe discovered me after offering Charlie because he gave me Coach Bates’ card and told me that he wanted me to be in contact with them.”
What caught Bates’ eye? Probably that Ervin is 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds.
Ervin is still looking for his first offer but is certainly intrigued by Northwestern. The Wildcats’ interest is piqued as well.
“Coach Bates and I discussed about me coming up to the spring game and taking a trip and watching some of their fall camp practices,” he said.
A 2019 who will likely blow up: Northwestern is in early on a speedy South Carolina sophomore who is already drawing quite a bit of recruiting attention.
Akele Pauling of Columbia Ben Lippen School is just 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds but is getting looks from NU, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, The Citadel and Harvard. He plays both cornerback and wide receiver but coach Marty Long is recruiting him as a wideout.
“I had a great visit this weekend,” said Pauling. “I was really impressed with the coaches and the campus, looking forward to coming back!”
“The first thing that stands out to me is the high standards for academics. Secondly I really love the Northwestern football program. The Coaches made me feel really welcome.”
Pauling says he is planning to camp at Northwestern this summer.
(2015 highlights; 2016 not available.)
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