Packers, Commanders Add Former Northwestern Captain, LB for Minicamp
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One of Northwestern's top defenders from last season is headed to a pair of NFC minicamps for a shot at pursuing his NFL dreams.
Linebacker Xander Mueller, who played four seasons for the Wildcats after redshirting in 2020, will attend both the Green Bay Packers' and Washington Commanders' rookie minicamps.
Captain, Making Moves 👀@XanderMueller13 has accepted rookie minicamp invites for both the @Packers and @Commanders! pic.twitter.com/RRzD7fLlVe
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) April 28, 2025
Mueller becomes the third former Wildcat to receive at least one invite to an NFL team's rookie minicamp, joining safety Coco Azema (New York Giants) and tight end Thomas Gordon (Chicago Bears). Wide receiver A.J. Henning (Miami Dolphins), tight end Marshall Lang (Seattle Seahawks) and offensive lineman Josh Priebe (Dolphins) all signed undrafted free agent contracts with their respective teams.
A local athlete from Wheaton, Illinois, Mueller made 46 appearances at Northwestern and started each game in both 2022 and 2023. He totaled 273 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, nine sacks and six interceptions as a Wildcat, ranking in the top five in the conference in either solo or total tackles twice.
Following a Third Team All-Big Ten season in 2023, Mueller battled a lower-body injury and played just nine games in his final season. The linebacker still managed to earn a spot as an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.
The Commanders have perennial All-Pro Bobby Wagner at linebacker, but with Wagner turning 35 years old this June, Washington could benefit from having a young player like Mueller learn and develop under their aging veteran. The Packers, meanwhile, have several young pieces in their linebacker room, but could use the depth that an instinctual Mueller could provide.
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Gavin Dorsey is the Lead Writer for Northwestern Wildcats On SI and covers a handful of other teams in the On SI network. Before joining On SI in February 2025, he wrote for the Star Tribune and Inside NU while broadcasting college sports for both radio and television. Dorsey is a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, where he also studied psychology. In his free time, he enjoys running and being outdoors. Dorsey is currently a freelance writer for the Associated Press, covering Chicago area sports teams.
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