Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald was a great linebacker for the Wildcats during his playing days, so it's no surprise to see him focus his recruiting efforts on the defense. Northwestern has 21 players already verbally committed before National Signing Day on Wednesday, a class led by defensive tackle Greg Kuhar and defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo.
Each defender is a four-star prospect hailing from Ohio. Kuhar, from St. Edward High School, is 6'3 and 265 lbs. Odenigbo attended Centerville High School and is 6'4, 210 lbs. The pair adds some high-upside size to Northwestern's front-four.
From Rivals, here's a complete list of players verbally committed to the Wildcats.
For more on this story, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more news from around the Big 10 Conference, be sure to visit Off Tackle Empire. For more from around college football recruiting, visit SB Nation's recruiting hub.