The Wildcats are on bye this week, but the recruiting news continues to roll in as David Braun and his staff work to put together the next few classes of freshmen. Yesterday, Northwestern submitted an offer to a four-star defensive back named Gideon Gash.

The Detroit native has a name for football and an impressive recruiting profile that would make him a fantastic get for Northwestern, albeit a difficult one. Gash announced his Northwestern offer himself yesterday via a post to X.

According to 247Sports, Gash is a three-star, but its composite rankings, which combine rankings from other sites, list him as a four-star. The website ranks him as the No. 30 corner in his class as well as the No. 6 player out of Michigan.

Interestingly, On3's Rivals lists Gash as a safety, not a corner, so he may have some positional flexibility in the secondary. The industry standard site lists him as a four-star and the No. 318 ranked player nationally. It also has Gash as the No. 29 safety and the No. 5 player from his home state.

Anyone who is above a three-star currently sits in Northwestern's aggressive target range. Typically, its final recruiting classes end up consisting of mostly three-star recruits. But, it's certainly possible to convince some higher-ranked players to come to Evanston.

That will be Braun's task with Gash. Since he's a 2027 player, there's plenty of time to charm him and leverage the advantages a school like Northwestern has to offer, but there will be competition.

So far, 247 lists Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Wake Forrest and West Virginia as schools that have already submitted offers. There are more teams outside of the power conferences, but those would be Northwestern's biggest threats.

Some of those already feel like programs with a higher recruiting standing than the 'Cats, and it's also important to note that a high school player's trajectory isn't always linear. Gash could always rise in the rankings and pick up offers from even better programs across the country.

For now, though, Northwestern has a chance. The 6-foot-4, 180 lbs Gash has an intriguing frame, and his ranking suggests a high ceiling. With that kind of height, it's easy to see why the two recruiting sites disagree about his primary position.

The 'Cats could always use some help in the secondary. Thus far this season, they've been ok in that department, but it's important to constantly be restocking, especially on defense. That's where Northwestern's identity under Braun tends to be, and acquiring players like Gash is how they keep it that way.

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