Northwestern had just 103 players on its roster last season and is looking to walkons to help bolster its roster for 2024.
In addition to the scholarship players the Wildcats added in their Class of 2024, they are also bringing in several preferred walkons to build some depth at key positions.
Here are the players who have committed to the program and are guaranteed a roster spot as a walkon next season:
OL Logan Uihlein
Northwestern's ninth PWO commitment is Logan Uihlein, an offensive lineman for Lake Forest (Ill.) and projected starting linebacker Mac Uihlein's younger brother. Uihlein did not allow a sack his senior season at left tackle.
Uihlein held PWO offers from Miami (OH) along with offers from Western Illinois, Valparaiso, Gardner-Webb and Butler.
QB Sean Winton
Northwestern picked up their eighth preferred walkon commitment a month and a half after the seventh with Elmhurst (Ill.) York quarterback Sean Winton.
Winton threw for 2,150 yards and 30 touchdowns for the Dukes last season, piloting them to an 11-2 record and the IHSA Class 8A semifinals. He visited Northwestern on April 2 and flipped his commitment from Dayton to the Wildcats on April 5.
He joins his teammate, DE Jack Trautmann, in the 2024 PWO class. Winton is the first quarterback to commit to Northwestern as a preferred walkon in this cycle.
LS Jack Florentine
Northwestern picked up their seventh PWO commitment of 2024 on Feb. 23 from long snapper Jack Florentine.
Florentine is a local product from Illinois powerhouse Frankfort (Ill.) Lincoln-Way East, which has produced current Northwestern receiver AJ Henning and current 2025 commit defensive end Caden O'Rourke.
Florentine visited Northwestern on Jan. 27 and indicated if he had an opportunity to play for the Wildcats, he'd take it. A little less than a month later, the call came through from head coach David Braun and special teams coordinator Paul Creighton, and Florentine committed.
He is ranked the 12th best long snapper in the Class of 2024 and the best in Illinois by Chris Rubio, the industry standard for ranking specialists.
He held public PWO offers from UConn and Bucknell, and had conversations with Illinois and NIU.
WR Cameron Russell
Northwestern secured their third PWO commitment of Feb. 5 with wide receiver Cameron Russell from Milwaukee (Wisc.) Marquette.
Russell, a 6-foot-3, 180-pounder, committed to the Wildcats while holding a PWO offer from home-state Wisconsin. He finished his senior season at Marquette with 52 receptions for 747 yards and nine touchdowns.
Russell is the second wide receiver from Wisconsin to commit to Northwestern as a preferred walkon, joining Drew Wagner.
DL Jack Trautmann
Defensive end Jack Trautmann is the fifth player to commit Northwestern on a PWO offer and the second from Illinois. Trautmann tallied 41 tackles, 20 TFL and 12 sacks in his senior season at Elmhurst (Ill.) York, just 25 miles away from Evanston.
He held a PWO offer from Miami (OH) as well as FCS offers from Bucknell, Dayton and San Diego.
Trautmann is the third defensive lineman to commit to Northwestern as a walkon in this cycle.
OL Jace Borcherding
Offensive line has been a point of emphasis for the Wildcats since reportedly bringing in Bill O'Boyle as the new offensive line coach in January. Jace Borcherding will bolster the Wildcats' depth chart and joins scholarship additions Ezomo Oratokhai and Dennis Rahouski, who both committed in January, in the OL room.
Borcherding committed as a walkon to Northwestern over an FCS offer from St. Thomas (Minn.).
MORE: Northwestern offers PWO spot to Iowa OL Jace Borcherding | PWO OL Jace Borcherding commits to NU, preps for position change
WR Drew Wagner
The Wildcats flipped Drew Wagner, a 2024 two-star prospect, away from a previous commitment to Navy on Feb. 4.
Wagner hails from Kettle Moraine (Wis.), which happens to be head coach David Braun's alma mater. He turned down offers from Army, Air Force, Columbia and Brown, as well as a PWO offer from Miami (Fla.), to commit to Northwestern.
DL Landon Lauter
Landon Lauter is a two-way lineman from nearby Northbrook (Ill.) Glenbrook North who committed to Northwestern on Feb. 1 to play defensive line. Lauter chose the Wildcats over an offer from Army, and a PWO offer from Illinois to play offensive line. He also held a handful of other PWO and FCS offers.
Lauter joins 2024 scholarship commit Patrick Schaller and junior offensive lineman Jackson Carsello in the GBN pipeline to NU.
DL Henry Fioriglio
Henry Fioriglio was the first PWO commitment to NU in the 2024 cycle on Jan. 30.
Fioriglio, a 6-foot-3, 260-pounder, hails from Sarasota (Fla.) Riverside and held eight FCS offers from programs like Colgate, Valporaiso, San Diego and more.
