David Braun has had a busy last few weeks.
After adding a program-record eleven transfer commits in the winter transfer window, Northwestern football has continued to be aggressive in its roster-building throughout the spring.
Head coach David Braun has signed an additional three players through the portal since the spring window opened on April 16 while continuing to build his 2026 recruiting class. That class is now up to six players since the first round of official visits during the second weekend of May. The additions are a welcome sign for the ‘Cats after the decommitment of high three-star cornerback Joshua Sims.
Northwestern’s 2026 commits still sit firmly at the bottom of the Big Ten in 247Sports’ class rankings — as do its 2025 transfers — but Braun has historically done his best work during these May and June visits. All but four of Northwestern’s 20 members of the Class of 2025 signed after the first round of official visits in early May, with nine of those 20 waiting until June to put pen to paper.
Inside NU has put together a compilation of key spring movements in both Northwestern’s 2025 transfer class and 2026 commitments that will be updated with each new development.
Transfer Class of 2025
May 6: LB Jack Sadowsky V transfers to Northwestern from Iowa State
The Batavia, IL native started in four of Iowa State’s 13 games in 2024, recording 29 total tackles, 4.0 tackles for a loss, a pass deflection, a sack and a forced fumble in his second year with the Cyclones. He was just the second Cyclone first-year since 2007 to start all thirteen games in 2022, and he racked up 33 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss as a true freshman.
Sadowsky is the second linebacker transfer that Braun brought in this offseason after adding Yanni Karlaftis from Purdue in the winter window. Northwestern’s linebacker unit lost two key contributors in All-Big Ten Xander Mueller to the draft and Kenny Soares Jr. to the portal. Sadowsky will slot into the Wildcat linebacker rotation immediately with a chance to compete to be a starter in Week One.
He comes to Evanston with two years of eligibility remaining.
May 3: DB Dillon Tatum transfers to Northwestern from Michigan State
Tatum spent his first three seasons at Michigan State, where he started in nine of the 22 games he appeared in. He played a wide variety of roles during his time in East Lansing, including cornerback, safety and nickelback.
Tatum was ranked as a four-star recruit coming out of high school, and he chose the Spartans over a loaded offer list that included Ohio State, USC, Georgia, Michigan, Penn State and Notre Dame, just to name a few. Tatum likely slots in as the day-one starting strong safety alongside redshirt sophomore Damon Walters, filling an immediate hole left by the departure of An’Darius Coffey for Purdue earlier this spring.
After missing the 2024 season with an injury, Tatum comes to Evanston with two years of eligibility remaining.
April 25: C Talan Chandler transfers to Northwestern from Missouri
The former three-star recruit committed to Missouri out of high school over Colorado, where he was recruited by second-year Northwestern offensive line coach Bill O’Boyle. In an interview with Wildcat Report after his commitment, Chandler said Braun and his staff were “bringing me in to compete right away” for the starting center position despite his relative inexperience.
Chandler joins a center room that includes returning starter Jack Bailey and veteran Jackson Carsello, both of whom have just one year of eligibility remaining.
Chandler redshirted his first year in Columbia, and he has four years of eligibility remaining.
April 25: LG Cooper Lovelace enters the transfer portal
April 24: S An’Darius Coffey enters the transfer portal
April 22: WR Donnie Gray enters the transfer portal
April 16: QB Mike Wright enters the transfer portal
April 15: WR Calvin Johnson II enters the transfer portal
Recruiting Class of 2026
May 15: Three-star DE Calvin Lorek commits to Northwestern
The 6’4’’ defensive lineman committed to the ‘Cats over 10 other offers that included Air Force, Army and Bowling Green.
May 15: Three-star LB Brayden Reilly commits to Northwestern
Reilly chose Evanston over an offer list that included Wake Forest, Minnesota, Missouri and West Virginia. The Cincinnati native is currently the highest ranked commit in Northwestern’s class of 2026, per 247Sports
May 14: Three-star S Jacob Curry commits to Northwestern
The 6’1’’ Florida native boasted a 22-team offer list that included Iowa State, Louisville and Vanderbilt.
May 11: Three-star OL Leighton Burbach commits to Northwestern
247Sports ranks Burbach as the third best player in the state of Nebraska. He committed to the ‘Cats over Iowa State, Kansas State and Minnesota, in addition to the Cornhuskers.
May 8: Three-Star CB Joshua Sims flips commitment from Northwestern to Tulane
Sims was 247Sports’ highest ranked player in Northwestern’s Class of 2026 before he flipped his commitment to the Green Wave. Sims recently reclassed to the Class of 2025 and joined Tulane as an early enrollee. The ‘Cats will face both Sims and former quarterback Brendan Sullivan in their Week One matchup with Tulane in New Orleans.