Northwestern Set to Host 2027 Defensive Back at Wrigley Field Game

The 'Cats play Minnesota at the baseball stadium in November.

Nov 30, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats wide receiver A.J. Henning (8) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the second half at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

When hosting potential recruits, Northwestern has a couple of options. There's the temporary lakefront stadium -- a unique football venue -- but potentially lacking in crowd size. Then, there's Wrigley Field, the iconic baseball venue in Chicago where the 'Cats usually play at least one home game.

This season, Northwestern will host both Minnesota and Michigan at "The Friendly Confines," and it's using one of those contests to host a recruiting visit. Corner Jaeden Byrd, a member of the 2027 class, announced on X yesterday that he'll be attending the Minnesota game on November 22.

Wildcat Report's Matthew Shelton reported the news.

Northwestern will host 2027 DB Jaeden Byrd for a game day on Nov. 22 https://t.co/5crZCr0thh

— Matthew Shelton (@M_Shelton33) August 4, 2025

Byrd is not a highly ranked recruit just yet as he doesn't have a star rating on 247Sports. But it's still relatively early in the 2027 process, and things can always change. The site does periodically update its rankings.

Currently, Byrd only has one offer from Kent State, but an offer from the 'Cats could be coming. That would be the next step in the recruiting process now that he's scheduled a visit.

For a corner, Byrd is maybe a touch undersized but not by a ton. He's currently listed at 6-foot-even with a weight of 170 lbs, although it's important to know that he's in high school and those numbers still have time to rise. Currently, Byrd plays high school football in Michigan at Brighton High School.

Northwestern has already offered some higher ranked recruits in the 2027 class, but they're likely lower percentage shots. Ultimately, the 'Cats are going to need to hit on talent lower in the rankings to help sustain the future of the program.