Northwestern went just 3-9 last season and finished dead-last in the Big Ten West, but you wouldn't be able to tell by the 18 Class of 2023 visitors the Wildcats are welcoming to Evanston this weekend for their official visits.
Most notable among the group are four four-star defensive ends, but there are also three sought-after three-star cornerbacks. It's a defense-heavy lineup, as 11 of the 13 uncommitted prospects in attendance are defenders. That's good news for a unit that finished 101st in the nation in total defense last season.
This is the first batch of official visitors in this recruiting cycle, and it follows a spring practice season that saw a steady stream of 2023 and 2024 prospects come through Evanston. Wildcat coaches are very intentional about when they get prospects on campus, so these players are at the top of the program's recruiting board.
There will also be five Northwestern commitments -- offensive lineman Anthony Birsa, wide receiver Frank Covey IV, linebacker Nigel Glover, quarterback Aidan Gray and safety Jacob Lewis -- on hand to help convince the recruits to join them in the 2023 class.
While Northwestern's on-field performance last season was disappointing, it's clear that the program's recruiting pitch still resonates with their recruiting targets. That's because a lot of what they're selling goes beyond wins and losses.
No matter the Wildcats' record, coaches can still tout the school's No. 9 spot in U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of America's top colleges. They can still dazzle prospects with the state-of-the-art, $470 million Walter Athletic Center and its breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and Chicago. And in a climate of constant coaching upheaval, they have Pat Fitzgerald, a head coach who has been there 16 years and has said that he's a "Wildcat for life."
Those points are still valid. Plus, even though recruits are fully aware of Northwestern’s record last season, Fitzgerald and his staff can at least say that they've bounced back from a season like that just two years ago -- although that one is a bit of a double-edged sword.
For a complete list of the visitors expected this weekend, click the link below to go to The Rock premium message board, for WildcatReport subscribers only:
