Aidan Chiles came into Division-I college football as a highly touted four-star prospect out of Downey, Calif. with visions of becoming an all-conference performer.

Tall, crafty, quick, strong-armed and strong-willed, Chiles has all the tools a quarterback guru like Northwestern offensive coordinator Chip Kelly would look for in a signal caller.

The Wildcats brought Chiles aboard this offseason to compete with West Virginia Mountaineers transfer Nicco Marchiol and it has fostered spirited competition in practice so far.

On Friday, Big Ten Network studio host and analyst Dave Revsine visited Wildcats practice in Evanston, Ill. during which he shared his thoughts on what has been transpiring in preparation for the season, including a blunt take on Chiles. 

Revsine noticed that the Wildcats' offense was getting the better of the defense on Friday, something he hadn't seen in many years of covering the team.

"Needless to say - offense looked different," Revsine said, referencing the Chip Kelly effect. 

"It's the first time I can remember being at NU in preseason in at least a decade where it felt like the offense often had the upper hand," he added. 

Chiles and Marchiol have help at the skill positions this year with running back Caleb Komolafe and wide receiver Griffin Wilde among the nation's best at their positions.

Depth appears to be a question mark at the receiver and running back positions but coach David Braun and his staff have shown they have the coaching chops to develop players into contributors to a winning team in due time. 

Revsine was brief in his thoughts on Chiles, who is getting tons of reps in practice in preparation for a potential starting QB role ahead of the Wildcats' opener against South Dakota State. 

"Aidan Chiles appears to be a great fit at QB - has always had the tools," Revsine said. 

Chiles is coming off of a huge drop in production from his sophomore season to his junior season at Michigan State University with Jonathan Smith's Spartans. 

He did improve his caretaking and efficiency skills, cutting his interceptions from 11 to 3 last season while improving his completion percentage.

Chiles is a player who appeared in desperate need of a change of scenery last season, and the Wildcats have provided it. 

Now it's up to the talented senior to prove he still has what it takes to become a top tier quarterback in the Big Ten, where the outstanding level of competition will demand it each week.