Northwestern pulled off a recruiting stunner on Monday, beating out Big Ten champion Michigan for a player in the Wolverines' own backyard.
The Wildcats bested finalists Michigan, Michigan State and Iowa for coveted interior offensive lineman Dylan Senda from Dearborn (Mich.) Divine Child. He is ranked as the No. 2 center in the nation and the No. 10 overall prospect in the state of Michigan for the 2023 class.
Senda was generally regarded as a strong Michigan lean since visiting Ann Arbor for the Wolverines' win over Ohio State. With Northwestern finishing a disappointing 3-9 in 2021 and Michigan earning a berth in the College Football Playoff, the Wolverines were seen by many as a slam-dunk for Senda.
But Northwestern offensive line coach Kurt Anderson worked his magic again to pull an in-state kid away from the Wolverines. Anderson, a former Michigan lineman himself, has now beaten the Wolverines for three Michigan offensive linemen who had Wolverine offers over three recent classes: Josh Priebe in 2020, Caleb Tiernan in 2021 and now Senda in 2023.
Senda announced his commitment with a video.
A 6-foot-4, 274-pounder Senda had 20 total offers, including 14 from Power Five programs.
Senda visited Northwestern over the summer for a camp in June. He was offered by the Wildcats in early August, and then went to two Wildcat games this fall: a loss to Michigan State in the season opener, and then a win over Rutgers in October.
He said he always felt a strong bond with Northwestern's coaches.
"It starts with (head coach Pat) Fitzgerald and Coach Anderson. I really like them and feel comfortable talking to them, Senda told WildcatReport this summer. "I also love the facilities, city of Chicago, and they are one of the best schools academically in the country."
Senda, who holds a 3.8 GPA at Divine Child, is the first member of the Wildcats' Class of 2023.
