Northwestern Football Secures Commitment From Bowling Green Kicker Jackson Kleather
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As the 2025 season fades into the rearview mirror, Northwestern football has quickly turned its attention to the details that often decide close games. In today’s transfer portal era, success is no longer defined solely by skill positions and star power.
With the NCAA transfer portal window officially running from January 2 through January 16, head coach David Braun and his staff have moved decisively. Northwestern has already balanced 16 incoming players against 13 departures, and one of the most important additions arrived on January 7. Bowling Green kicker Jackson Kleather officially committed to the Wildcats. It was following an official visit to Evanston, bringing immediate experience and stability to the special teams unit.
Filling a Crucial Vacancy on Northwestern Wildcats
The need for a veteran kicker emerged quickly when Jack Olsen, Northwestern’s multi-year starting kicker, entered the transfer portal for his seventh and final season of eligibility.
Grateful! Go Cats! pic.twitter.com/fzyIIcXsMS
— Jackson Kleather (@KleatherJackson) January 7, 2026
Kleather fits that need cleanly. A transfer with one year of eligibility remaining, he arrives from Bowling Green with a track record of consistency, range, and composure. His experience in tight games and challenging environments made him a natural target as Northwestern looked to stabilize a critical position.
Kleather is coming off a strong 2025 campaign that established him as one of the most reliable kickers in the Mid-American Conference. He finished the season 19-for-22 on field goal attempts and earned Second-Team All-MAC honors while appearing in all 12 games for the Falcons.
Distance was a defining feature of his season. Kleather connected on three field goals from beyond 50 yards and six from 40 yards or longer, showcasing a leg capable of stretching opposing defenses. His best performance came against Lafayette. That's where he went a perfect 4-for-4 and drilled a career-long 56-yard field goal. That consistency earned him MAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors twice during the year.
Versatility That Extends Beyond Placekicking
While 2025 marked his emergence as a premier placekicker, Kleather’s value goes beyond one role. Over three seasons at Bowling Green, he owns a career field goal percentage of 80.7 percent. That included perfect outings during the 2025 season against Ohio and Liberty.
As a freshman in 2023, Kleather demonstrated rare versatility by handling punting and kickoff duties. He routinely averaged more than 40 yards per punt, highlighted by a career-long 63-yard boot against Akron. His athleticism even showed up on a fake punt, where he rushed for 17 yards and a first down against Kent State.
A midseason injury cut his 2024 campaign short after six games, but not before he proved he could deliver on major stages. Prior to the injury, Kleather converted field goals at both Penn State and Texas A&M, experiences that add to his readiness for Big Ten play.
Kleather’s journey began at Tippecanoe High School in Ohio, where he earned first-team Division III All-State honors. He broke multiple school records, including field goals in a season, career field goals, and career PATs, while also contributing as a punter and kickoff specialist.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.