wildcatnation@RoundtableIO Edgewater (Md.) South River High School wide receiver Jaden McDuffie has closed the book on a historic high school football career defined by records, accolades, and a well-earned four-star ranking. A dynamic two-sport athlete and unquestioned leader, McDuffie represents everything college athletics should be: competitiveness, loyalty, and the power of relationships.
In his final season at South River, McDuffie delivered one of the most prolific years in program history. He recorded 58 receptions for a school-record 1,338 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns, finishing with 2,160 all-purpose yards and First Team All-State honors. His offensive dominance propelled South River to an Anne Arundel County Championship, capping a 9–0 regular season that included a staggering 70–0 victory in the opening round of the playoffs.
McDuffie’s impact extended well beyond offense. Playing both sides of the ball, he contributed five interceptions, three forced fumbles, 31 tackles, and 12 pass breakups on defense. His versatility and athleticism showcased the complete skill set that eventually drew national recruiting attention.
Despite the eye-popping statistics and postseason honors, McDuffie’s recruiting journey was anything but conventional. He began the process unranked and overlooked by major services, yet never allowed star ratings to define his path. Even after earning a four-star designation later in the cycle, McDuffie remained grounded and expressed gratitude toward Northwestern University for believing in him when he had zero stars. In fact, he turned down programs that reached out only after his rankings rose, a clear testament to his loyalty and character.
Northwestern extended McDuffie his first Power Four opportunity, and that belief created a bond that never wavered. He has consistently praised the culture of the Northwestern football program and the university as a whole, highlighting the genuine relationships he built with the coaching staff, particularly with head coach David Braun and wide receivers coach Armon Binns. Their authenticity and commitment to player development played a pivotal role in his decision.
McDuffie’s athletic excellence is not limited to the gridiron. He has also starred on the basketball court, earning recognition as one of Maryland’s top combo guards. Rather than enrolling early, he chose to remain in high school through the winter to pursue a basketball state championship alongside the coach who has mentored him since he was eight years old.
His basketball ability has not gone unnoticed within the Northwestern fan base or athletic community. There has been growing interest on social media in the possibility of McDuffie contributing to the program in a dual-sport capacity. I encouraged him to consider reaching out to Coach Collins, even if initially in a developmental or practice role, and it was as if I lit a fire under him.
As he prepares to begin his college football career in Evanston, McDuffie hopes to make an early impact. He understands the challenges ahead and is focused on earning his role through preparation and consistency.
Academically, McDuffie plans to major in Economics (ELOC), entering Northwestern with an open mind and a commitment to growth both on and off the field.
Ultimately, Jaden McDuffie’s competitiveness, loyalty, and drive perfectly embody the standard David Braun’s program seeks in a Northwestern Wildcat. Looking forward to seeing him wear the purple and white.Jan 16, 2026 
NorthwesternRoundtableNorthwesternRoundtable Northwestern hiring Chip Kelly is a huge deal for many different reasons. First, it displays that there is a desire for change that is shown from Mark Jackson, as well as other boosters. David Braun may have fired Zach Lujan on his own accord, but I personally believe that there is zero possibility Braun has the connections or the inclination to choose Chip Kelly. This was a decision made by people in higher places. Now what does this show? It displays that there are still questions around David Braun, as a coach who is more credentialed than him has been hired in a position under him for basically the same salary. I would not be shocked if Kelly or another more experienced figure takes over the establishment in '27 if more wins get away from Northwestern next year. Now in a more positive light, this hire will benefit the team. First off, Kelly has more variety in his offense, and will likely make less mistakes than Lujan, while providing higher efficiency, especially in the redzone. I also bet Northwestern will be able to make significant splashes in the portal. I think this is an A grade hire. Dec 30, 2025 NorthwesternRoundtable Class of 2027 running back Zion Mabry is a prospect that caught Northwestern and running backs coach, Aristotle Thompson, attention very early. Mabry received an offer, and after taking a closer look at Northwestern with his family, the Georgia native made the decision to commit to Northwestern. Mabry says everything about the program felt like the right fit: from the school’s prestige to the people inside the building.
Mabry said his family spent time researching Northwestern’s trajectory over the past decade, and over the past few years under Coach Braun. The more they learned, the more confident they felt.
“After doing research with my parents and seeing the history, and how close they’ve been to competing for Big Ten championships, it opened my eyes,” Mabry said. “And the new stadium is going to be a game changer for attracting talent.”
A major part of his comfort with Northwestern comes from his relationships with the coaching staff. Mabry speaks with Coach Thompson regularly.
“Coach Thompson is my primary recruiter, and we talk a lot, usually not even about football,” he said. “Coach Braun is an amazing guy. He took time to talk with me and my family, especially my little sister Zariyah about being in the band. He’s genuine. Coach Lujan, we haven’t talked as much, but we’ve both lived in Alaska, so we’ve got that in common,” Mabry added.
Mabry’s unofficial visit to Evanston only strengthened his connection to the program. He and his family took in a Chicago Bulls game, toured the campus, and got an up-close look at the new stadium project, what he called his favorite part of the trip.
Right now, Mabry says he’s fully confident in his decision
“I’m happy with my current decision,” he said. “At the moment I know I’m coming back to NU, and I don’t have any other visits scheduled.”
Football has always been in Mabry’s blood. His dad played Division I football at Miami, and his mom played college basketball, but he says his path into the sport was fueled by passion, not pressure.
“My dad didn’t want me playing football when I was young, but I loved it,” Mabry said. “I used to watch his tape, and it made me want to make a name for myself.”
During his time on campus, Mabry also made brief contact with the Wildcats’ running back room after practice, adding to the list of points that made his visit feel like home.
As the 2027 cycle continues to take shape, Northwestern has already landed two high upside players, and Zion Mabry is someone who’s excited about what’s being built in Evanston.
He is looking forward to watching the ‘Cats take on the Illini tonight.Nov 29, 2025 NorthwesternRoundtable 2027 TE Wyatt Frey is the first prospect to commit to Northwestern in the 2027 cycle, and his path to Evanston is far from typical. Born in Tucson, Arizona, Frey moved to Nebraska at a young age, where he now stars for Red Cloud (Neb.) Lawrence-Nelson in the state’s eight-man football landscape. Despite playing quarterback at most of his camps, Northwestern’s Paul Creighton immediately saw his potential as a tight end and made him a priority.
Frey comes from a football-driven family. His father played college football at New Mexico State, and both of his older brothers are currently playing at the collegiate level, including one who lines up at tight end for South Dakota. That background, combined with his 6-foot-5 frame and athleticism, made him an intriguing developmental prospect for the Wildcats. Frey, who has not played at the tight end position, knows that the adjustment will be challenging at Northwestern. Where Northwestern has excelled recently is finding under-the-radar talent, and Frey may very well be the best example of this strength.
What ultimately pulled Frey to Evanston was the Northwestern coaching staff, the reason he consistently cited as the motive behind his decision. He connected early with Coach Creighton, praising how genuine and invested he was throughout the process. He also said that Coach Braun was an awesome guy in the few times he has met him. The school’s new stadium, elite indoor facilities, and the beauty of the Northwestern campus only strengthened his belief that NU was the right place for him, both athletically and academically.
Even after visiting Nebraska, Colorado State, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota for gamedays this fall, Northwestern remained the program that stood out. NU was his only offer, but it was also the only place he wanted to be. Frey said his relationships made this clear. He plans to return to Evanston for an unofficial visit in January, already fully committed to the path ahead.
In his words: “I don’t want to be anywhere else.”Nov 21, 2025 NorthwesternRoundtable On Friday, Northwestern faces their first Power 5 opponent, the DePaul Blue Demons at Wintrust Arena.
DePaul is led by Chris Holtmann — this is his second year leading the program. Holtmann's squad went 14-20 last season with a 4-16 clip in conference play.
This season, DePaul is expected to be a more competitive team led by returners CJ Gunn and NJ Benson.
Here is some in-depth info about these two key players:
CJ Gunn is a 6′7, 200-pound guard from Indianapolis, Indiana, who has emerged as one of DePaul’s key leaders entering the 2025-26 season. A Lawrence North High School graduate, Gunn began his college career at Indiana University. After two seasons with the Hoosiers, Gunn transferred to DePaul in 2024 and quickly became a key performer. In his first season with the Blue Demons, he led the team in scoring at 12.9 points per game, recorded 43 steals, and posted 21 double-figure scoring outings, including four games with over 20 points. Known for his athleticism, length, and disruptive defense, Gunn brings a rare combination of size and versatility to the guard position. Entering his second year at DePaul, Gunn is expected to play a major leadership role.
NJ Benson is a 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward from Mount Vernon, Illinois who is heading into his senior season. After beginning his collegiate career at Missouri State Bears, where he averaged 8.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore, Benson transferred to DePaul for the 2024-25 season and made an immediate impact. He played in 28 games last year, averaging 9.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest while shooting 60.6% from the field and posting 1.36 blocks per game—ranking among the leaders in the conference. Benson is expected to anchor DePaul’s frontcourt with his rebounding, rim protection and efficient scoring inside. He will be a challenge for Wildcat forwards such as Arrinten Page and Tre Singleton with his size.
Overall, Northwestern has consistently played well against DePaul, going 8-2 in their last ten matchups, with a current three game winning streak. However, Chris Collins' teams have struggled against Holtmann's squads when he was at Butler and Ohio State. It will be interesting to see how these teams matchup on Friday.
Predictive Metrics:
Here is what the predictive metrics say about this game.
ESPN BPI: Northwestern 68.4%
Northwestern is 46th on ESPN's BPI rankings with an 11.9, whereas DePaul is 102nd with a 4.4 BPI.
Bart Torvik: DePaul 58%, -2.5
Torvik's rankings have DePaul and Northwestern as almost equivalent teams, combining the predictive metrics with the first of the first 2-3 games. These rankings have to be taken with a grain of salt and will drastically change and become more accurate as the year goes on.
Kenpom: Northwestern, -8.5
Kenpom is much higher on Northwestern, 40th, and much lower on DePaul, 92nd. Once again these are entirely predictive metrics. Yet it is interesting to see the variety of data predicting these two teams, especially NU. Lots of questions since there are eight new players.
I will be watching the DePaul vs Buffalo game tonight (or at least keep track of it) and will add anything interesting that I notice. Overall, I think if NU plays like they have, we should handle this team.
Let me know your thoughts. Nov 12, 2025 NorthwesternRoundtable 
