After Illinois, Ohio has always been a very fertile recruiting territory for Northwestern. The Wildcats brought in eight players from the Buckeye State over the last three classes.

On Thursday, Jan. 9, the Northwestern program offered three 2026 offensive linemen from Ohio. One of them went to three-star tackle Ben Congdon from Zoarville (Ohio) Tuscarawas Valley Local, on Thursday.

Congdon's recruitment has exploded recently, with nine Division I offers since New Year's Day.

"The coaches care," Congdon said on his initial impression of Northwestern. "Their O-line coach walked me through their recruiting process and how they offer just a few guys this year, when other schools have offered hundreds. It really amazed me how they take their time and analyze who they offer."

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