The Wildcats have their quarterback, and he's transferring from a Big Ten foe.
With the hiring of Chip Kelly last week, David Braun signaled his intention to revolutionize Northwestern's offense and flip the entire unit on its head. Now, NU's offensive coordinator and head coach appear to have found the quarterback they want to run their revamped system.
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, the Wildcats have earned a commitment from Michigan State transfer Aidan Chiles. The former four-star recruit will likely enter Spring Ball as the favorite to start under center.
"Aidan Chiles was the program's No. 1 target and first quarterback they brought to campus, per ESPN sources," Thamel said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "A big get for Northwestern as they open new Ryan Field next year."
The rising senior quarterback visited Evanston on Tuesday, according to multiple reports, and committed to Northwestern on Tuesday evening. Nebraska also had interest in Chiles, but the Cornhuskers landed UNLV transfer Anthony Colandrea instead.
If Chiles starts the 2026 season-opener for the Wildcats, it will mark the eighth consecutive year that Northwestern begins the season with a transfer quarterback.
Chiles was ranked the No. 7 quarterback in the Class of 2023, as well as the No. 58 overall recruit in the nation, per 247Sports. He appeared in nine games during his lone season at Oregon State as the backup to D.J. Uiagalelei.
When Beavers head coach Jonathan Smith left for East Lansing, Chiles came with him. The 6-foot-3 QB led Michigan State to a 5-7 record during his first season starting in 2024, riding a roller-coaster year with 2,415 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Despite the turnover woes, Chiles' arm talent and dual-threat ability made him an intriguing future prospect in NFL Draft circles. His true junior year showed early promise and an improved touchdown-to-interception margin, but a plethora of big hits and a late-season foot injury derailed the 2025 campaign. Smith was fired on Nov. 30, and his quarterback subsequently entered the transfer portal.
In eight starts this fall, Chiles completed 63.1% of his throws for 1,392 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. He was also a threat on the ground, running for 227 yards and six scores.
Chiles will be a senior next fall, despite not turning 21 years old until Sep. 12, 2026. His Big Ten experience makes him the most likely candidate to win Northwestern's starting quarterback job, though players like Ryan Boe, Marcus Romain and Johnny O'Brien project to battle him for the QB1 nod as well.