Northwestern, once again, has beaten out a litany of college football bluebloods to lock up yet another stud recruit. The newest member of the class of 2017 is three-star tight end/superback Trey Pugh.
Pugh announced his commitment on Twitter Sunday after taking a visit to Evanston over the weekend:
Thrilled to announce my commitment to Northwestern University today! More than proud to consider myself a Wildcat! pic.twitter.com/tn4PnUPIlG
— Trah (@pughtr3y) April 3, 2016
Pugh had his choice of just about any power-conference school in Big Ten country. Seven of the 14 Big Ten schools offered scholarships, including Michigan, Penn State, Nebraska and Illinois, and 247 Sports' Crystal Ball pegged him as a future Ohio State Buckeye. Michigan State also had interest. That's an offer list that stands up well against class-of-2017 jewel Earnest Brown.
Pugh, who played both sides of the ball at Jonathan Alder High School in Plain City, Ohio, is an awfully big kid, listed at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds on 247 Sports. His 247 composite score is .8504. Northwestern, it seems, is getting bigger at that position, as class of 2016 tight end Eric Eshoo is also listed at 6-foot-5 and current starter Garrett Dickerson measures at 6-foot-4.
Northwestern missed on superback targets Cole Kmet, a four-star recruit who committed to Notre Dame, and Jake Marwede, a three-star who committed to Duke earlier this week, so to lock up a very good player in a position of need is key for the coaching staff.
Pugh is the first skill position signee of the 2017 class, as five of the eight signees for the Wildcats play on either the offensive or defensive line.