Northwestern’s 2002 football recruiting class isn’t attracting much national attention, but like the 2000 NU team, it might surprise some people.
The Wildcats’ recruiting class will become official today, as NU anticipates the commitment of 22 high school seniors on National Signing Day.
The class is considered mediocre by national standards – the Cats did not land any of ESPN’s Top 100 recruits, and Midwest recruiting expert Bill Kurelic ranks NU’s class 10th or 11th in the Big Ten.
But according to expert ESPN analyst Tom Lemming, who created the network’s rankings, NU’s class has its strengths – despite its absence from his list.
“Overall, they’re a good class to blend in with last year’s class,” Lemming said. “They’ll end up in the top 50 nationally, and they’re better than a lot of people think.”
NU needs the class to fill in some holes, particularly on defense. Loren Howard, a defensive tackle from Scottsdale, Ariz., attracted the most attention of all the NU recruits, and Kurelic called him the “headliner” of the class.
Jim Devine, of Jackson, Mich., could make an unexpected impact for the Cats, Lemming said. A former linebacker, Devine has been working hard in recent months to gain size and speed for a move to the defensive line, where he hopes to play next year.
“He could be a big surprise,” Lemming said of Devine. “He’s a tough kid, and he plays with a lot of heart.”
Devine’s father was part of the 1973 national championship team at Notre Dame, and Jim was recruited by all Big Ten and Mid-American Conference teams.
“Jim told me, ‘You know, Notre Dame is a special place, but I get the feeling that Northwestern’s a special place, too,'” said Jim Brogan, Devine’s high school coach. “He just liked the atmosphere down there, and he felt really comfortable.”
On the offensive side, the Cats have two future quarterback candidates in the 2002 recruiting class – Derell Jenkins of Bolingbrook and Joe Ferguson of Kansas City, Mo. Both are versatile athletes who were recruited by other schools to play other positions.
Jenkins, whom Kurelic and Lemming both consider the best overall athlete in the class, is Lemming’s pick to eventually lead NU’s offense.
“Northwestern is a perfect fit for the young man,” said Phil Acton, Jenkins’ high school coach. “He would fit well into the offense – (NU coach Randy) Walker has run the same offense we run over the last three years.”
Jenkins was recruited to play safety at other Big Ten schools. He chose NU because of the opportunity to play quarterback.
“I’m playing QB,” Jenkins said. “I’m going to wait for it if I have to, but I’m going for QB – it’s a real big deal to me.”
Ferguson was also recruited as a wide receiver, but some expect him to compete for the quarterback spot.
Another standout is wide receiver Brandon Horn, who played alongside current NU wide receiver Ashton Aikens at Detroit Country Day High School.
“He’s going to bring athleticism,” said Aikens, who added that he is eager to be reunited with his former teammate. “He’s going to add more depth to an already strong receiving group.”
The bulk of NU’s 2002 recruiting class is from the Midwest, but the Cats failed to sign several in-state stars – namely wide receiver Jason Avant and offensive lineman Mike Kolodziej, both of whom are Top 100 recruits headed for Michigan.
NU’s new defensive coordinator Greg Colby coached most recently at Kent State, but prior to working at the collegiate level, the Illinois native coached at several Chicago-area high schools. His connections could help the Cats recruit more local talent in the future.
Another disappointment for NU was Ohio linebacker Bobby Carpenter’s decision to stay in state. His father, Rob Carpenter, played with Walker at Miami (Ohio), but Bobby Carpenter signed with Ohio State last week.
“He could have made a great impact (at NU),” Lemming said. “They need to start getting those kinds of athletes.”
But even without a top-tier recruiting class, Kurelic thinks NU should be just fine.
“In the past Walker has done well with classes that, frankly, weren’t that great,” he said.
