An EDGE from Florida is here in Evanston.
Northwestern is currently hosting a number of potential recruits in the 2027 recruiting class this weekend. One of them is a three-star edge rusher from Tampa, Florida.
Jared Zames is a three-star according to both 247Sports and Rivals, landing in similar spots in both ranking systems. The former lists him as the No. 83 pass rusher in the class and the No. 95 player coming out of his home state. The latter has him as the No. 77 EDGE and the No. 93 player from his state.
Right now, Northwestern has the second best odds to land Zames, according to Rivals and its prediction feature. The 'Cats are listed at 29%, only trailing Georgia Tech, the overwhelming favorites at 44%.
Georgia Tech's presence makes sense, since Zames is close to that state already and might want to stay near home. He also is currently fielding offers from USF, Louisville and Minnesota.
This isn't a super intimidating list for the Wildcats. Georgia Tech is obviously a threat, and USF is actually in Zames's state. Louisville and Minnesota are power conference programs, but none of these teams easily outclass Northwestern.
Head coach David Braun is also hosting at a fantastic time this weekend, as spring is finally here in Evanston and campus is about as beautiful as it gets. The beaches are active; trees are in bloom. This is when the university makes its money, and it's the perfect time to host potential recruits.
Adding to that equation is Northwestern's new, state-of-the-art stadium set to open next season, as well as the addition of Chip Kelly at offensive coordinator. It's safe to say that the 'Cats have a few more recruiting chips up their sleeve right now than just their high-level of academics.
Zames would be a great addition to Northwestern's 2027 recruiting class. Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 230 lbs, Zames is already a hulking presence rushing the passer. He also has time to put on even more weight before he gets to the next level.
Northwestern lost both of its starting edge rushers this offseason in Anto Saka and Aidan Hubbard. It has a plan for the immediate, but it's also time to start building up the reserves again.
The 'Cats get a lot of attention for developing offensive linemen, but they tend to do a pretty good job with defensive linemen as well. If they can get Zames into the building, they can probably turn him into a useful player. That's the goal in recruiting, and Northwestern knows how to execute in the trenches.
