Northwestern Earns Commitment from Local Three-Star 2026 Lineman
Northwestern continued building its 2026 recruiting class on Monday, picking up a commitment from nearby Fremd High School in Palatine, Illinois.
Offensive lineman Owen Jakubczak, who also plays defensive tackle, officially became the 12th member of NU's 2026 class after announcing his decision on Monday night. According to Wildcat Report's Matthew Shelton, Jakubczak received his offer at Northwestern's Big Man Camp on Saturday and "committed on the spot."
"Excited to announce that I’ve officially committed to Northwestern University!" Jakubczak wrote in a social media post. "Huge thank you to @DavidBraunFB @OB_Cats @CoachLujan and the entire coaching staff for believing in me and giving me this incredible opportunity. Proud to be a Wildcat. Go Cats!"
Excited to announce that I’ve officially committed to Northwestern University!
— Owen Jakubczak (@Owen_Jakubczak) June 9, 2025
Huge thank you to @DavidBraunFB @OB_Cats @CoachLujan and the entire coaching staff for believing in me and giving me this incredible opportunity.
Proud to be a Wildcat. Go Cats! pic.twitter.com/cDEQXdgtgm
The 6-foot-4, 270-pound lineman is ranked as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports. Jakubczak chose the Wildcats over schools such as Wyoming, Fresno State, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Ohio and Miami (OH). Northwestern was his first Power Four offer.
Jakubczak is the second 2026 offensive lineman to commit to the 'Cats, joining 6-foot-8 tackle Leighton Burbach from Nebraska. Burbach verbally committed to Northwestern on May 11, picking the Wildcats against Kansas State, Minnesota and Iowa State.
With Jakubczak officially announcing his intent to play in Evanston, the 2024 Fremd High School team will have had three future Wildcats on it. Wide receiver Brennan Saxe is set to be a preferred walk-on at NU this season, while quarterback Johnny O'Brien is also a part of the 2026 class and has been committed to Northwestern for nearly a year.
Northwestern's 2026 recruiting class ranks No. 49 in the nation by 247 Sports and No. 53 by Rivals.
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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.