Melina Vastola-US Presswire
Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald was all smiles this afternoon while commenting on his new recruiting class.
Fitzgerald should be smiling because his top recruit, four star quarterback Matt Alviti, will fit in perfectly with the Wildcats. Alviti, a local product who played at Maine South High School, has been on the Fitzgerald’s radar for a long time. Alviti had offers from Michigan State and Notre Dame before choosing to play for Fitzgerald and the Wildcats.
“I have known Matt longer than I have known my own son,” said Fitzgerald. “My son just turned four and we have watched Matt since he was in the eighth grade.”
Fitzgerald knows exactly what he is getting in Alviti, who is a dual threat quarterback and has been leading Main South for years. In his senior year, Alviti led Main South to the Illinois State Championship, passing for over 2,700 yards and 28 touchdowns and rushing for 843 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also played in the Semper Fi All-American Bowl and his performance earned him MVP honors.
Alviti is the star of this year’s recruiting class, but he is not the piece to Fitzgerld’s puzzle. Northwestern officially signed 19 players today and according to prognosticators, the Wildcats rank between seventh and eighth in the Big Ten, which is an improvement over years past.
Some of the other recruits joining Alviti include four star running back Godwin Igwebuike, wide receiver Macan Wilson, running back Keith Watkins II, athlete Kyle Queiro and linemen Brad North, Sam Coverdale and Tyler Lancaster.
Fitzgerald could not forget his passion and former position recruiting linebackers Anthony Walker Jr., Brett Walsh, defensive tackle Eric Joraskie and cornerback Marcus McShepard.
Northwestern has a solid recruiting class and the Wildcats are coming off of a season where they won 10 games, including a Gator Bowl victory over Mississippi State. Earlier this week, Northwestern announced a partnership that will allow the Wildcats to start playing one game a year at Wrigley Field. A 10-win season, a successful recruiting class and an annual game at Wrigley Field equal a bright future for the purple and black.
