Northwestern has secured 13 commitments for the Class of 2017. Of those 13, nine are expected to play on the defensive side of the ball, including the Wildcats' four highest-rated recruits: Sam Miller, Trevor Kent and Earnest Brown on the defensive line and J.R. Pace in the secondary.
Of Northwestern's four offensive recruits, two are offensive linemen, one is a quarterback, and one is a tight end — projected to play superback for the Wildcats.
That means the recruiting class lacks any running backs. Northwestern has reached out to four running backs, and each one has chosen to play elsewhere.