Seven things to know about new Northwestern DL commit Austin Firestone
MORE: Northwestern 2022 class l Coaches highlight of official visit for Firestone l Meet Austin Firestone, one unique recruit
Northwestern bolstered its defensive line on Wednesday morning, when Austin Firestone announced his commitment to the Wildcats' Class of 2021.
The three-star prospect from Niceville (Fla.) chose Northwestern over Vanderbilt and Virginia, the two other schools he visited officially in June. He collected a total of 24 offers, including 17 from Power Five programs.
Firestone's commitment was first reported by Seth Stringer of the nwfdailynews.com.
But that background information doesn’t begin to tell the story of Firestone, who is the 13th member of the Wildcats' class and the player we like to call “the most interesting recruit in the world.”
Here are seven things to know about Northwestern’s newest Wildcat, who figures to be a valuable player on the field, and a fascinating one off of it:
1. He’s versatile: Firestone is already 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds and will only get heavier, so he will likely wind up at defensive tackle because of his size alone. But he has the length, speed and explosiveness of a defensive end. Defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil likes to use multiple fronts and sub-packages, and Firestone would also be ideal as a 3-4 defensive end. Firestone led Niceville with 17 TFL and 9.5 sacks despite playing in just eight games last year.
2. He’s an athlete: Firestone shows off his speed and athleticism on his highlight tape, but his talent goes beyond that. Firestone is an all-around athlete who plays varsity basketball for Niceville. He likes to compete in triathlons and is a martial artist who practices both Muy Thai and jujitsu. How many defensive linemen have you heard of that do that? He is also a nutrition and fitness enthusiast whose mother is a fitness trainer.
3. Northwestern initially offered him as an OL: Like most other programs, Northwestern offered Firestone as an offensive lineman first. But when he expressed a desire to play defense, the Wildcat staff re-evaluated him and extended him an offer as a defensive lineman. That’s a big reason the Wildcats landed him today. While several schools left open the possibility of offense or defense, NU and Vanderbilt were the only other schools that offered him as a defensive lineman only, and Firestone made it clear throughout the process that he intends to play defense, in part to maintain his athletic pursuits and not get wrapped up in the “race to 300 pounds” as an OL.
4. He is homeschooled: Firestone plays football for Niceville but he doesn’t take classes there; he is educated at home. In Florida, homeschooled athletes can play sports for the local public school in their area. Niceville certainly didn’t mind having Firestone aboard. With his help, the Eagles finished 11-1 last season, going unbeaten until getting knocked out in the Class 7A state semifinals.
5. He’s a smart kid: Firestone has a self-reported 4.0 GPA. But in case you don’t think that’s legitimate because he’s homeschooled, consider that he scored an impressive 31 on the ACT. He also has a part-time job analyzing radar data for a local engineering firm (we’re not making this up). When he gets some spare time, one of his hobbies is playing the piano. He told WildcatReport he might major in anything from engineering to fine arts.
6. He always seemed like a fit for NU: We always felt that Firestone would end up a Wildcat. He was looking for a balance between academics and athletics, which is reflected in his three final schools. He also greatly admired Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald. But we knew that he would eventually pick the purple when, shortly after returning from his official visit on June 4-6 with his father, Firestone took an unofficial visit with his mother to get her blessing. After that, he is commitment seemed inevitable.
7. He’s Northwestern’s ninth straight defensive commitment: After landing three offensive players to start the class, Northwestern has now reeled in nine straight defenders, including six defensive backs. Firestone is the second defensive lineman, joining Denis Jaquez. O’Neil is certainly putting his stamp on NU’s defense through recruiting.
Northwestern 2021 class was ranked 40th in the nation by Rivals before Firestone's commitment.