Four players to be excited about in Northwestern’s 2024 recruiting class

As Northwestern gears up to play at Martin Stadium this year, head coach David Braun is also welcoming an abundance of fresh faces to his locker room. The 2023 Big Ten Coach of the Year currently has 17 high school recruits coming to Evanston for the 2024 college football season.

With numerous recruits and five transfers currently joining Braun’s roster, it’s hard to decipher which players fans should watch for this season. With that said, here are four players to be excited about in Northwestern’s 2024 recruiting class.

Idrys Cotton, OL

The three-star recruit was a hot commodity among college coaches during his high school career, racking up nearly 30 scholarship offers, including ones from Vanderbilt, Duke, Indiana, Boston College and Colorado. However, Braun was able to secure the 6-foot-4, 280-pound offensive lineman.

Cotton’s size should provide a boost to Northwestern’s offensive line, which was dead last in the Big Ten in sacks allowed with 51, averaging almost four per game. Cotton’s athleticism is also especially appealing, as the offensive lineman excelled as a three-sport athlete. The Michigan native was all-state in track and field and football, as well as all-conference in basketball.

Ryan Boe, QB

Since 2018, the quarterback position at Northwestern has been a revolving door, with a different transfer signal-caller starting each season opener. This trend is expected to continue this year when former Vanderbilt and Mississippi State quarterback Mike Wright takes the first snap for the ‘Cats in their season opener on Aug. 31 against Miami (Ohio). The longstanding instability of the quarterback position could end with Boe, who flashed long-term starter promise throughout his high school career.

In his sophomore year as a starter for Batavia High School, the Illinois native proved himself to be a winner by leading his team to a state title despite subpar numbers. Following his sophomore and junior campaigns, where he only threw 16 touchdown passes each year, Boe made a significant leap forward in his senior season. He nearly doubled his previous numbers, tossing 33 touchdown passes to three interceptions and accumulating just under 3,000 passing yards. Additionally, Boe proved that he can create for himself with his mobility, as the 6-foot-3 signal caller rushed for over 500 yards and scored 10 touchdowns on the ground.

It’s unlikely that Boe will see action as a freshman, so a year spent observing a veteran quarterback like Mike Wright should serve the Illinois native well. This time will allow him to develop and potentially become the long-term answer for the ‘Cats.

Terrion Hicks, CB

Even though Hicks is an undersized cornerback at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, the Kentucky native makes up for it with his blazing speed. Hicks is exceptionally fast, posting a 4.4-second 40-yard dash time.

His speed and coverage skills should bode well for a secondary that ranked near the bottom of the conference — Northwestern allowed 15 receiving touchdowns last season, placing it ninth in the Big Ten.

With a plethora of superstar wide receivers in the Big Ten, such as USC’s Zachariah Branch, Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka and Oregon’s Evan Stewart and Tez Johnson, it’s crucial Braun has speedsters like Hicks in his secondary to defend against the conference’s large pool of offensive talent.

Timi Oke, CB

Oke stands as the true wildcard in Braun’s recruiting class, coming to Evanston as a three-star cornerback from the NFL Academy in London, England. He made a late switch to football, previously playing soccer at Whitgift School — the same alma mater as Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and Nottingham Forest’s Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Just like Hicks, Oke brings elite speed to the ’Cats’ secondary, having clocked an impressive 4.38-second 40-yard dash. This addition will bolster Northwestern’s revamped defensive back room, which will be tasked with defending a long list of talented threats this upcoming year.

If Oke can successfully transition from soccer to football, his remarkable speed and versatility could make him an explosive player for Braun on defense.