Northwestern leapt out of the gates from the July dead period with an offer to local 2026 offensive lineman Owen Fors during his unofficial visit on Saturday.

Fors is a versatile three-star from Barrington (Ill.), a little less than an hour northwest of Evanston. So getting an offer from the team he has followed since he was a kid meant a lot to him and his family.

"We're definitely pumped about it," he said. "They're a school that, growing up, we watched the games. I'm definitely excited...

"It was an amazing visit. They had great facilities and an amazing coaching staff, as well."

The Wildcats join an eight-team offer list early in Fors' recruitment that includes Big Ten opponents Illinois and Indiana, who offered back in April.

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