Northwestern is back in recruiting mode after a flurry of portal moves in the past few weeks. Today, it offered 2027 EDGE Alexander Coey, according to a post to X from the player himself.
Coey is an interesting player, and his recruitment story so far requires some understanding of how ranking systems work. Currently, he's ranked a three-star by Rivals, and he's unranked by other sites.
This happens because these sites don't all update at the same time. Just because he's unranked on one site doesn't mean that's an accurate reflection of his talent level. Things change. High school players continue to play football and get bigger. They're kids.
All this is to say, 247Sports and ESPN are likely to adjust their rankings soon. Rivals' three-star ranking is an indicator in and of itself, but his other offers from different programs paint the same picture.
Per 247, Coey has offers from Duke, Stanford, Oregon State and Pat Fitzgerald at MSU. Those are real football programs that make him far from a slam dunk for David Braun and Northwestern. The nation has noticed his talent -- it's just a matter of the recruiting sites catching up.
Additionally, Coey is a big guy, standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 235 lbs per 247. It wouldn't be shocking if those numbers are out of date, too, and kids at that age aren't typically getting smaller.
So, Coey has a highly projectable frame, one that should serve him well when he joins the college ranks. He also has another season to continue growing and lifting and improving his game.
Right now, Rivals gives Northwestern a 12.5% chance to land Coey, the second best odds in the country behind Texas State. He's from Texas, so that's the reason.
Most likely, his recruitment is going to get even hotter, and the 'Cats are going to be in a battle here. Right now, they have a good shot, but if one of the bigger Texas schools enters the mix, they're probably in trouble. It's going to be hard to yank him away from Texas or A&M. Tech's CFP appearance also hurts.
But if Northwestern can get him to sign early, that would be a big win for Braun and co. The 'Cats go as their defense goes, and Chip Kelly isn't necessarily going to change that. Braun is still a defensive head coach, and he wants to be able to get after the quarterback.
Coey is far from contributing to any college team, but he'd be a nice, underrated piece for the future if Braun can get him to Evanston.