With official visit season opening up for Northwestern this weekend, we thought we’d take a look at how the Wildcats’ Class of 2026 stacks up in the Big Ten and nationally at this point.
Northwestern is hosting several top 2026 prospects this weekend, and the program is also holding another OV weekend at the end of the month, from May 30-June 1. There will be a couple more events in June.
Official visits are when commitments traditionally start popping for the Wildcats. These are players who have Northwestern among their favorites and have chosen to take one of their coveted officials to check out Evanston. Most of them have been on campus already, so minds are often made up at this point in the process.
Here are five questions about the 2026 class as we wait for visitors to descend on Evanston.
MORE RECRUITING CONTENT:
Northwestern Class of 2026 commits l Northwestern 2026 scholarship offers l 2026 Illinois state rankings l Northwestern official visitors
Who is in Northwestern's class so far?
Northwestern has three commitments from 2026 players, all three-stars.
The headliner is quarterback Johnny O’Brien from nearby Palatine Fremd. It's always good to land a QB early, and O'Brien committed to the Wildcats way back in June of 2024, some 11 months ago and just four days after picking up an offer at a Northwestern camp. O’Brien’s only other offer came from Western Michigan, but he would have several more if he hadn’t pulled the trigger so early in the process.
After O’Brien, the Wildcats didn’t get any commitments until April 12, when they got a big one from cornerback Joshua Sims from Nashville (Tenn.) Pearl-Cohn. Sims has an impressive offer list that includes 10 other Power Four programs, but the Wildcats reeled him in about a month after a visit for spring practice.
Most recently, DE Nick Zalewski gave his verbal commitment to head coach David Braun on April 16. The 6-foot-6 Worthington (Ohio) standout was offered on National Signing Day, Feb. 1, but has largely flown under the recruiting radar. His other offers were from MAC programs Kent State and Toledo.
Where does the class rank?
Northwestern’s 2026 class is not ranked very highly nationally or in the Big Ten at this point. The Wildcats rank 72nd nationally and are dead-last in the Big Ten at No. 18.
Those rankings don’t come as a surprise. The number of commits has a big impact on rankings, and Northwestern’s three commitments is the fewest in the Big Ten and one of the lowest totals nationally.
However, the Wildcats aren’t as far behind as you might think. Four Big Ten programs – Maryland, UCLA, Nebraska and Michigan State – have just four commitments, one more than the Wildcats. Nationally, Mizzou, Georgia Tech, Kansas State and Virginia are some of the Power Four schools also sitting at three commitments.
How does the class compare to previous years at this time?
Northwestern is not far off from where it normally is on Cinco de Mayo.
Last year, the Wildcats had four commitments on this date in their Class of 2025. The year before that, they had just one 2024 commitment – though some of them decommitted after the firing of previous head coach Pat Fitzgerald in July of 2023.
Going back five years, the highest number was eight, the lowest was one, and the average was four.
In terms of stars, all three Wildcats are three-stars, which has always been Northwestern’s wheelhouse.
How is Northwestern doing in Illinois?
Northwestern has not fared well in its home state thus far. The Wildcats have offered seven of the top 20 prospects in the Land of Lincoln and haven’t landed any. In fact, none have scheduled an official visit to Evanston. (NU’s one Illinois commitment, O’Brien, isn’t ranked in the Top 20.)
The Wildcats’ top offensive line prospect, 15th-ranked Gene Riordan of Hinsdale Central, just committed to Iowa on April 21 after taking three visits to Northwestern. No. 2 Mack Sutter, a four-star TE who is the son, nephew and cousin of former Wildcats, has eliminated NU from consideration. Chicago Brother Rice DT King Liggins visited twice but Northwestern is not one of his six scheduled official visits.
Even beyond the Top 20, the Wildcats aren’t in the mix for many Illinois prospects. Of the 18 players we know who are planning to take official visits to NU, just one, O’Brien, is from within the state.
The bottom line is that NU has some work to do in its backyard.
Who is taking an official visit to Northwestern?
For a list of the eight official visitors expected this weekend, as well as those we know are coming in future OV weekends, see our Class of 2026 Official Visits post on The Rock. The post is for WildcatReport subscribers only.
If you're not a WildcatReport subscriber, sign up today!
