Massive 2026 Offensive Lineman Commits to Northwestern Wildcats

The 'Cats get their first commitment from this weekend's slew of visits.

Aug 31, 2024; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach David Braun gestures to his team against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks during the second half at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Northwestern hosted more than 10 potential 2026 recruits this weekend for official visits, and the results are now starting to roll in. With rumors floating around about how many of the recruits are leaning towards purple and white, the 'Cats received their first official commitment from a member of the group yesterday.

Three-star offensive lineman Leighton Burbach announced his decision on X last night.

I’m all in!! Thank you to everyone who has made this possible!! GO CATS!!🐾#committed pic.twitter.com/ePa4Pvj883

— Leighton Burbach (@LeightonBurbs) May 11, 2025

Burbach is a hulking presence up front. The Nebraska native stands at a whopping 6-foot-8, weighing 270 lbs. For a high schooler, that's huge, and he'll likely only continue to put on weight in college. Burbach is the definition of a projectable frame for the Wildcats.

According to 247Sports, Burbach is the No. 41 offensive tackle in his class and the No. 3 recruit out of Nebraska. He had offers from other power conference schools like Minnesota, Kansas State and Iowa State.

Any time a high schooler chooses to come to Northwestern over programs like that, it's a big win for David Braun and his staff. Other solid programs having interest is a good sign for the player. But Northwestern beating out those other programs is an even better sign for the program as it tries to improve its status in the college football landscape.

Burbach becomes the 'Cats' third member of its 2026 class after CB Joshua Sims flipped his commitment to Tulane on Thursday. It feels like the action on the recruiting front is about to ramp up, though, as Northwestern hopes more of its recent visits turn into commits.