On the heels of a disappointing 1-11 campaign and offseason turmoil, does the Northwestern Wildcats’ 2024 NFL Draft class have what it takes to right the ship in the 2023 season? Here’s a look at the core the team will be working with.
Northwestern Wildcats Roster and Depth Chart Changes
The Big Ten West is perhaps known for its imperfection across the board, but no team was worse than the Northwestern Wildcats in 2022. Northwestern went 1-11 on the year, and although long-time head coach Pat Fitzgerald was retained heading out of the season, he was fired in July when allegations of a hazing culture under his watch came to light.
In Fitzgerald’s place, the Wildcats elevated newly-hired defensive coordinator David Braun to the interim head coach spot. Since Braun was so new to the program, there’s hope that he may be able to catalyze change. But Northwestern needs change both in the locker room and on the football field.
The Wildcats lost two core pieces in the trenches to the 2023 NFL Draft. Offensive tackle Peter Skoronski was an early first-round pick, while defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore was an early Day 3 pick. They also lost cornerback Cameron Mitchell, who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in Round 5.
Those losses will hurt Northwestern, but having gone 1-11 in 2022, the bar for improvement is very low in 2023. And there’s reason to believe several returnees and transfer additions will help them in that department.
Northwestern Wildcats NFL Draft Prospects
Ben Bryant, QB
Subpar quarterback play was a theme in 2022 for Northwestern, but Ben Bryant can remedy that in 2023. Bryant is a sixth-year senior who had a stint at Eastern Michigan in 2021 before returning to his original school Cincinnati and becoming a starter. In 2022, he completed 213 of 348 attempts for 2,732 yards, 21 scores, and seven picks. The 6’3″, 214-pound Bryant is a non-factor as a rusher with a below-average NFL arm, and he’s recovering from a foot fracture, but his poise and accuracy are strong qualities.
A.J. Henning, WR
For three years, A.J. Henning suited up for the Michigan Wolverines. Though he saw opportunities with designed touches on offense, he made his primary impact as a return specialist, scoring a kick return and punt return TD in his career. Now, at Northwestern, Henning may have a chance to expand beyond that title. At 5’10”, 185 pounds, he’s a home-run speed threat whose electric ability in space could be a catalyst for an ailing offense.
Cam Johnson, WR
The Wildcats are also hoping to get an assist from transfer addition Cam Johnson, who brings much more accrued experience at the WR position than Henning. Johnson himself was also a four-star recruit coming out of high school, and in his final three years at Vanderbilt, he racked up 120 catches for 1,188 yards and 10 TDs. His stint at Arizona State in 2022 was quiet, but the 6’0″, 198-pound Johnson has the talent to emerge in a lighter depth chart.
Bryce Kirtz, WR
The two aforementioned transfers will play a large role in the revitalization of Northwestern’s passing attack, but returning redshirt senior Bryce Kirtz may also have an impact. The 6’0″, 190-pound Kirtz was a four-star recruit in the 2019 cycle, who clocked a documented 4.53 40-yard dash out of high school. He has yet to score a touchdown or eclipse 212 yards in a given season, but he has speed and flashes good catching instincts.
Marshall Lang, TE
Ben Bryant was fond of his TE options — Josh Whyle and Leonard Taylor — at Cincinnati in 2022. Perhaps that affinity for larger targets will draw him to Marshall Lang at Northwestern. The 6’4″, 245-pound Lang has proven his ability as a red zone threat, having scored three touchdowns on just 11 catches in 2021. But in 2022, he was used more as a chain-mover, with 192 yards on 15 catches. Bryant’s arrival could allow for another uptick.
Josh Priebe, OT
After getting some run as a starting left guard in 2022, Josh Priebe is positioned to take the left tackle spot in 2023 in the wake of Peter Skoronski’s departure. The 6’5″, 310-pound Priebe isn’t nearly the athlete Skoronski was as a prospect, but he does have superior mass and length — tools that could be of use to him on an island. The most important thing for evaluators will be whether Priebe’s mobility translates at tackle against Big Ten edge rushers.
Sean McLaughlin, EDGE
The Wildcats lost their most dynamic defensive lineman in Adetomiwa Adebawore this past offseason, and they don’t have anyone to truly take his place on defense.
Sean McLaughlin could, however, potentially rise to PFA territory with the opportunity on deck. The 6’6″, 270-pound edge defender is relatively stiff and sluggish off the line as an athlete, but his length and motor can be an asset in run defense, where he was able to nab four tackles for loss in 2022.
Bryce Gallagher, LB
At the core of Northwestern’s defense, and an important piece of continuity amidst turmoil, is linebacker Bryce Gallagher. Gallagher, who stands around 6’2″, 235 pounds, was the team’s second-leading tackler in 2021 and led the team with 100 tackles in 2022. He lacks great athleticism and fluidity at his siz, and may end up requiring a camp opportunity to find a place in the NFL. But his reliability and persistence as a tackler are admirable.
Xander Mueller, LB
Xander Mueller fits a similar mold to his senior teammate Gallagher. He’s not a great athlete at 6’3″, 235 pounds, but he’s a high-energy defender who’s been productive to this point. In 2022, Mueller held his own alongside Gallagher, logging 87 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, and two pass deflections. What Mueller lacks in mobility, he makes up for with very willing physicality as a block combatant.
Garnett Hollis Jr., CB
For a team that’s produced draft picks such as Greg Newsome and Cameron Mitchell in recent seasons, the cornerback position is always worth watching. Garnett Hollis Jr. might be Northwestern’s next NFL Draft prospect at the position. Hollis, who stands at a lean 6’2″, 205 pounds, got healthy rotational snaps in 2022 and put up 25 tackles, a pick, three pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. He needs to smoothen his footwork in coverage, but the tools and the playmaking proactivity are there.
Rod Heard II, DB
Rod Heard II is an incumbent starter in Northwestern’s secondary who could field consideration as a potential selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. The 5’11”, 190-pound Heard had his best year yet in 2022, accumulating 67 tackles, four TFLs, a sack, an interception, two pass deflections, and a forced fumble. There’s still room for him to attain greater consistency, but he’s a quick accelerator when closing on passes, and he can play the boundary or the slot.
Coco Azema, S
In 2022, Coco Azema was coming off a strong 2021 campaign in which he logged 72 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, four pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. He was on his way to another strong season in 2022 before injuries limited him to just three games.
At 5’11”, 205 pounds, Azema is an experienced and multifaceted safety with a particular willingness to come downhill, enforce, and tackle in support. He can also provide value as a blitzer.
Luke Akers, P
If that surname looks familiar, that’s because it is. Luke Akers is the son of former NFL kicker David Akers, who earned Pro Bowl recognition six times across 16 years at the professional level. The younger Akers, standing around 6’1″, 190 pounds, has NFL aspirations as a punter. He has a career-long of 66 yards and showed glimpses of high-level accuracy in Week 0 last year against Nebraska, pinning the Cornhuskers behind the 10-yard line three times.
Northwestern Wildcats Schedule
- Week 1
BYE - Week 2
Sept. 3: at Rutgers Scarlet Knights - Week 3
Sept. 9: vs. UTEP Miners - Week 4
Sept. 16: at Duke Blue Devils - Week 5
Sept. 23: vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers - Week 6
Sept. 30: vs. Penn State Nittany Lions - Week 7
Oct. 7: vs. Howard Bison - Week 8
BYE - Week 9
Oct. 21: at Nebraska Cornhuskers - Week 10
Oct. 28: vs. Maryland Terrapins - Week 11
Nov. 4: vs. Iowa Hawkeyes - Week 12
Nov. 11: at Wisconsin Badgers - Week 13
Nov. 18: vs. Purdue Boilermakers - Week 14
Nov. 25: at Illinois Fighting Illini - Week 15
BYE