Yesterday was Northwestern's Pro Day, an opportunity for players from last year's team to audition in front of NFL Scouts. Among the group of players this year was a fair number of offensive linemen, including Caleb Tiernan and Evan Beerntsen.
Both of those players spoke to the media after completing drills like the 40-yard-dash and the bench press. While they spent time discussing their futures, they also reflected on their time with the Wildcats and what it's meant to their development.
Beerntsen, who transferred to Northwestern prior to last season, talked about how tight-knit the program is.
"You go to some of those bigger universities and sometimes you can feel like a number ... [At Northwestern], coaches care about you, ask about your family...," Beerntsen said.
The 'Cats will play his other alma mater, South Dakota State, next season, and Beerntsen had no comment on which team he'd be rooting for. But his overall remarks on the program were glowing, and head coach David Braun says transfers typically give his program higher reviews than the guys who start here.
Tiernan, who is likely to be selected somewhere between the second and fourth rounds of the upcoming NFL Draft, also spoke about the program. He made headlines on social media for an all-time quote.
"A lot of people, when they think of Northwestern, they think of nerds, really dorky people," Tiernan said. "But there's also a lot of chillers. There's a lot of guys I've done group projects with where I'm like 'dude, you're kinda like the GOAT.'"
As hilarious of a way to put it as that was, Tiernan is sticking up for his school here. Northwestern is trying to buck its reputation, not as an academic school, but as an academic school that can't compete in the Big Ten.
Braun has talked for a while now about his ambitions, and he refuses to shy away from saying he wants to win Big Ten titles. In order to do that, though, he's going to need to be able to recruit at a higher level.
Players like Beerntsen and Tiernan talking like this is a good sign, though. It all starts with setting the right culture, and former players talking up that culture is a win.
It's especially helpful to hear it from offensive linemen, the position where Braun's Wildcats have seemingly excelled the most. If you don't trust the numbers, trust the players themselves -- Northwestern's offensive line room is alive and healthy, and it's a great spot to develop.