We predict starters at each position entering summer camp.
Northwestern will open the 2025 football season against Tulane in New Orleans with a roster that looks significantly different from the one that took the field against Miami (OH) a year ago.
Head coach David Braun has brought in a total of 13 transfers since the ‘Cats fell to Illinois in the Battle for the Hat in December to help replace the departures of several key contributors from last year’s 4-8 side. SMU transfer quarterback Preston Stone is slated to lead the offensive unit alongside at least four other new additions from the portal and just three or four returning starters. Northwestern will have a little more continuity on the other side of the ball, especially on the line, but each of Braun’s four defensive transfers has a path to start against the Green Wave.
As is always the case with these NUFB preseason depth chart projections, there isn’t a ton to go by outside of the open practice in the spring and the sporadic nugget from Braun, who likes to stay tight-lipped regarding his starting 22 for as long as he can. Inside NU emeritus editor-in-chief David Gold did a pretty good job with his predictions last year, but a quick scan of his projected offensive line should give some evidence as to how hard it is to put together this depth chart in June.
That being said, there are fewer lineup uncertainties going into the summer than there were a year ago. Wide receiver is a genuine question, and there is no doubt that some hyper-competitive position battles are taking place on both sides of the ball, but we’re feeling pretty confident that we can muster at least an 80% hit rate — that’s 18 or more out of 22.
Quarterback
First String: Preston Stone, Gr.
Second String: Jack Lausch, RS Jr.
Third String: Ryan Boe, RS Fr.
Stone was the Week One starter pretty much as soon as he stepped on campus, but the quarterback room behind him is a little more interesting. Lausch, who started in 10 games for the ‘Cats in 2024, missed a good chunk of spring practices as he played center field for Northwestern baseball. Boe threw 13 passes against Illinois as Braun opted for a two-QB scheme in the season finale. Lausch would likely be the guy if Stone was ever to miss time with an injury due to experience alone, but there is a world where Boe threatens him for the QB2 spot in the summer.
Running Back
First String: Cam Porter, Gr.
Second String: Joseph Himon II, RS Jr.
Third String: Caleb Komolafe, RS So.
Porter paced the backfield in 2024 with 126 carries — 74 more than Himon behind him — and we’d be shocked if the sixth-year back doesn’t lead the RB room in touches yet again. However, don’t be surprised if Himon dips into his carries a little more in 2025. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry in 2024 to Porter’s 4.0, which has to hold at least a little weight even though Porter was more often used in obvious running situations. The speedy junior back didn’t see more than six carries per game as a sophomore. Expect Himon to touch double-digits at least twice.
Himon also caught 15 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown in 2024 — eight catches and 78 yards fewer than Porter. Komolafe featured sparingly in the passing games with just two catches during his redshirt freshman season.
The Wildcat rushing offense projects to be better than the 2024 unit behind a retooled offensive line and a quarterback who should move the ball more effectively than Jack Lausch. Second-year offensive coordinator Zach Lujan made his living on the ground during his time at South Dakota State. Look for a rebound from this unit in 2025.
Wide Receiver
First String Outside: Griffin Wilde, Jr. and Ricky Ahumaraeze, RS So.
First String Slot: Frank Covey IV, RS So.
Second String: Hayden Eligon II, So., Drew Wagner, So. and Chase Farrell, RS Fr.
Wilde is the shoo-in number one option at wideout, but there is a startling lack of experience behind the South Dakota State transfer. Despite playing in the FCS last season, Wilde’s 150-yard performance against Oklahoma State gives him the most returning yards against FCS competition on the team. Braun told reporters that he did not view wide receiver as a position of need at spring practice, but experience is undoubtedly a concern.
Both Ahumaraeze and Frank Covey IV took reps with the first team in spring practice. Covey, who battled injuries throughout his 2024 campaign, caught four passes for 31 yards in last year’s season opener against Miami (OH) and is Northwestern’s leading returning wideout with 98 yards. He had 43 yards against Purdue in the first quarter — the most for a Northwestern freshman since 2018 — but left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury.
Though Ahumaraeze doesn’t have a collegiate catch to his name, Braun raved about the 6’4 sophomore and his chemistry with Stone at spring practice. Eligon made two phenomenal catches against Illinois to bring his 2024 season total to four. It’s a toss-up between those two for the second starting spot on the outside.
Speedsters Wagner and Farrell should both see some substantial reps out of the slot in 2025, though neither has all that strong of a collegiate resume coming into the season. Wagner brought in just three catches as a freshman, and Farrell hasn’t caught a pass yet in his career. Yet both possess game-breaking ability that could put them in contention for that starting slot receiver position if Covey starts alongside Wilde on the outside.
Tight End
First String: Alex Lines, Gr.
Second String: Hunter Welcing, Gr.
Northwestern returns only one catch from the 2024 tight end unit, a 20-yard grab from Welcing in garbage time against Eastern Illinois. Lines has 11 FBS catches to his name from his two years at Arizona, but didn’t see the field as a redshirt junior at New Mexico State in 2024. He had 31 catches for 309 yards and a touchdown in 2023 playing junior college ball for Garden City Community College.
Northwestern also rotated in Camp Magee and Chris Petrucci during the spring open practice. We like Lines to start Week One, but the tight end room is wide open.
Offensive Line
First String Tackles: RT Caleb Tiernan, RS Sr. and LT Xavior Gray, Gr.
First String Guards: RG Evan Beerntsen, Gr. and LG Martes Lewis, Gr.
First String Center: Jack Bailey, Gr.
Second String Tackles: Deuce McGuire RS Jr. and Matt Keeler, Gr.
Second String Guards: Anthony Birsa, RS So. and Ozomo Eratokhai, RS Fr.
Second String Center: Jackson Carsello, RS Sr.
Graduate transfers Gray, Beerntsen and Lewis will beef up a Northwestern offensive line unit that is miles stronger than it was at this point in 2024. Gray was a First Team All-CUSA tackle at Liberty and Beernsten was a Second-Team AP FCS All-American guard at South Dakota State. Lewis started in just three games (two at right tackle, one at right guard) during his redshirt senior season at Minnesota, but the 6’7 335 lbs tank brings some much needed Big Ten experience and versatility to a group that finished in the bottom half of the conference in just about every metric a season ago
Returners Tiernan and Bailey both showed out for that injury-riddled line in 2024. Tiernan is PFF’s third-highest rated offensive tackle returning to a Power Four program, and Bailey earned PFF Big Ten Team of the Week honors for his performance against Eastern Illinois before going down with a season-ending injury against Washington.
Bailey could see some competition from Carsello — or even Missouri transfer Talan Chandler — for the starting center role, and we could see Eratokhai or Deuce McGuire making a run at Lewis for the left guard spot. Yet barring injury, that starting five is just about as locked as it can be with 77 days until kickoff.
Depth should be a strength for the NU offensive line. Northwestern finished spring practice in 2024 with just eight healthy offensive linemen. It goes without saying that Northwestern has a good bit more going into this summer. Each of the five names listed in that second rotation has significant experience playing Power Four football, and all but Matt Keeler, who did not play last season, saw significant time for the 2024 ‘Cats.
Defensive Line
First String Tackles: Najee Story, RS Sr. and Carmine Bastone, RS Sr.
First String EDGEs: Aidan Hubbard, RS Sr. and Anto Saka, RS Jr.
Second String Tackles: Miguel Jackson, Gr. and Brendan Flakes, RS Jr.
Second String EDGEs: Michael Kilbane RS So. and Richie Hagarty Gr.
Northwestern lost some key pieces on the line in R.J. Pearson, Jaylen Pate and Sean McLaughlin, but the core of this unit remains the same. Team captain Carmine Bastone battled injury throughout 2024, playing in just seven games and starting in six after a breakout campaign in 2023. He will see competition from Utah State transfer Miguel Jackson, but the graduate student struggled to find a consistent starting role both in his lone season with the Aggies and during his first three seasons at Charlotte. He started in three of four games with Utah State in 2024 before missing the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.
Anto Saka is slated to start alongside Aidan Hubbard on the edge for the first time in his career, and it will be exciting to see what the jet-fuel-powered junior can do after racking up 9 sacks in two years on the second unit. Saka is proof that Northwestern excels at finding ways to get guys involved throughout its defensive line. Richie Hagarty recorded 36 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 10 starts as a redshirt senior before missing 2024 with an injury, and he will be all over the field in his final year in Evanston. The same goes for Kilbane and Flakes, both of whom played in all 12 games in 2024.
We like redshirt sophomore Tyler Gant to play a role in a line rotation that could be as many 10 or 11 guys deep against Tulane. Braun also made a point to shout out the progress made by redshirt freshman defensive end Callen Campbell this spring, and the former high school quarterback (and tight end, and outside linebacker) will be hard to keep off the field this fall. As we wrote in the key newcomers piece from last week, there is a pathway for a true freshman to carve out a role as well; Mason Mayne and Caden O’Rourke both could see some playing time on the edge in their first years with the program.
Linebacker
First String Mike: Mac Uihlein, RS Sr.
First String Will: Yanni Karlaftis, Gr.
First String Sam: Jack Sadowsky V, Jr.
Second String Mike: Braydon Brus, RS Jr.
Second String Will: Nigel Glover, RS So.
2024 tackle leader Uihlein is a lock to start at the Mike linebacker position in the middle of the Northwestern defense, and Braun has raved about the progress of the senior throughout the spring. We like Purdue graduate transfer Karlaftis to start alongside him at the Will slot in two linebacker sets, though Iowa State transfer Sadowsky V could see some real playing time as well in three linebacker formations, playing a role similar to that played by Kenny Soares Jr. over the past two seasons. Sadowsky played in all 26 games for Iowa State over the past two seasons and started in all 13 games with the Cyclones as a true freshman in 2023. He will be very difficult to keep off the field.
Depth could be a bit of an issue for this unit as Northwestern does not return a lot of backup experience outside of Brus. Glover, a former four-star recruit, appeared in eight games in 2024 primarily on special teams. He played safety in high school and has the versatility to play across the Wildcat backfield but is yet to record a collegiate tackle. Redshirt juniors Jason Reynolds II and Miles Crutchley could also see some time behind Uihlein, Karlaftis and Sadowsky.
Cornerback
First String Outside CBs: Josh Fussell, RS So. and Fred Davis Gr.
Second String Outside CBs: Braden Turner, RS Jr. and Ore Adeyi, RS Sr.
Starting Nickel CB: Robert Fitzgerald, RS Jr.
This cornerback group looks a bit different from a season ago. Theran Johnson transferring to Oregon is definitely a big blow, but the ‘Cats secondary was a huge bright spot in spring practices. Fussell recorded 39 tackles a season ago and has the potential to be a lockdown guy on the boundary in 2025. Davis brings in his experience as well from both Clemson and Jacksonville State, where he allowed just 16 receptions in 245 coverage snaps.
Adeyi is back after missing the 2024 season due to injury. While Davis right now is slotted here for our depth chart predictions, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Adeyi, who appeared in all 13 games in 2023, get that starting spot opposite of Fussell against Tulane. Joining Adeyi is Turner as the projected second-string cornerback group for Northwestern. Turner has proven himself at times, highlighted by his six tackles against Ohio State.
At the Nickel spot, Fitzgerald had 46 tackles in 2024 and popped off the field at times throughout 2024, including against eventual national champions Ohio State. He had five games with over five tackles a season ago, and his coverage skills are only getting better. Don’t be shocked if Fussell and Co. hold some talented receivers to some not-so-great games. Who knows, maybe the Wildcats have found their next Greg Newsome II in the talented redshirt sophomore from Cincinnati…
Safety
First String Free Safety: Damon Walters, RS So.
First String Strong Safety: Dillon Tatum, RS Jr.
Second String Safety: Garner Wallace, RS Sr., Tito Williams Jr., RS Fr.
The last line of defense for Northwestern is looking pretty solid. Yes, losing Coco Azema to the NFL and Devin Turner to Baylor are both huge losses, but Tatum was brought in to help fill that void. Tatum had a good season for Michigan State in 2023, where he recorded 45 tackles and seven pass deflections. His 2024 season was cut short after a lower-body injury in Week 1 cost him the season.
The other projected starting safety is Walters. In the spring practices, Walters and Fussell turned the most heads. Walters was everywhere in the backend of the defense and got his hands on at least three passes in the limited 11-on-11 first-team reps beside the lake. The redshirt sophomore had 42 tackles last season plus an interception on the way to an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. He is poised to be one of those dudes going forward.
Wallace also returns and projects to be the main second-string safety for the ‘Cats. He stands at 6’4 and had five tackles against Illinois to end the 2024 season. Similarly to the cornerbacks, this safety group has a lot of potential and could surprise many if Tatum returns to his 2023 form and Walters continues to improve from the player we saw in 2024.
Special Teams
Kicker: Jack Olsen, Gr.
Punter: Niki Dugandzic, Fr.
Punt Returner: Drew Wagner, So.
Kick Returner: Joseph Himon II, RS Jr.
Olsen should assume starting kicking duties after missing seven games in 2024 with an injury, though there will undoubtedly be a role somewhere for Swiss Army Knife special teamer Luke Akers. New Trier alum Dugandzic was the highest-rated punting prospect in the country out of high school and should slot in to replace Hunter Renner against Tulane.
Wagner took a punt back for a touchdown against Iowa as a true freshman, but track star Chase Farrell could give him a run for return duties. Both received punts in spring practice.