Northwestern Earns Third Football Commitment From Official Visit Weekend

The Wildcats' 2026 recruiting class is rapidly growing.

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

Northwestern hosted three football recruits on official visits over the weekend, looking to add to its loaded 2026 class. By Tuesday afternoon, the Wildcats had secured commitments from each of them.

Three-star cornerback Jaden Vaughn was the final domino to fall, announcing his intention to play for the Wildcats in a social media post.

COMMITTED!!!🟣⚪️@NUFBFamily @LaMarcusHicks @DavidBraunFB @Jalil_Johnson21 @eatyohartout @millerjeff15 @cfbobcat @shane_rink @adamgorney @ParkerThune @MikeRoach247 @On3Keith @GregBiggins @GPowersScout @TFloss32 @CAT_TAKEOVER pic.twitter.com/qnZoAna14v

— Jaden Vaughn (@JadenVaughn24) June 24, 2025

Vaughn, a 5-foot-11 defensive back from Cypress, Texas, is the 17th commit in Northwestern's Class of 2026. He earned an offer from the Wildcats on June 16 and picked NU over schools such as Utah, Washington State, Wyoming, San Diego State and New Mexico State.

According to 247 Sports, Vaughn is a three-star recruit and the No. 95 cornerback in his class. Although he's the first corner in Northwestern's 17-man class of rising high school seniors, Vaughn joins three safety commits in NU's secondary.

Speed is Vaughn's primary asset, as the defensive back is also a star on the track. In March, Vaughn ran the 100-meter dash in just 10.89 seconds. He used his quickness on the football field last fall, totaling 22 tackles, three interceptions, 11 passes defensed and a kick returned for a touchdown.

Northwestern has locked in three commitments in as many days, capped off by the Texas DB. Defensive end Nick Costa wrapped up his weekend visit with a Sunday night announcement, then tight end Tom McGlinchey became NU's 16th 2026 commitment on Tuesday morning. Just 10 minutes after McGlinchey made it official, Vaughn completed the trio.

The Wildcats' 2026 recruiting class now ranks 55th in the nation by Rivals.