Charlie Schmidt commits to Northwestern

Charlie Schmidt, a three-star class of 2018 offensive lineman out of nearby Libertyville, Illinois has committed to Northwestern, he announced on Twitter.

Schmidt chose the Wildcats over a pretty competitive list of potential suitors that featured four Power Five conference offers: Iowa State, Syracuse, Vanderbilt and Virginia. He also had some MAC offers and garnered interest from Wisconsin as well, but the Badgers did not extend an offer. He is ranked as the 18th-best player in Illinois in the class, the 42nd-best offensive guard prospect in the nation — though he also plays some tackle — and the 914th best player overall. He earned a 247 composite score of .8316.

Schmidt, who also wrestles in high school, stands 6-foot-4 and weighs in at 270 pounds, which is a very solid frame for transitioning to the next level. He is the third commit for the class of 2018 behind quarterback Jason Whittaker (who talked to us about his commitment) and fellow offensive lineman Payne He’Bert.

Here are his highlights:

Some quick observations: He can overpower his opponents with his size and power, and he shows good burst off the ball. He’ll have to work on his technique — as all linemen transitioning to college do — to keep his pad level low, but his physical tools and his versatility should very much help him earn a spot on the field at some point during his career in Evanston.

Also of note: Former high school teammate and current Northwestern wide receiver Riley Lees was really happy to have Schmidt aboard.