Northwestern announces Bennett Skowronek, Paddy Fisher, Jared Thomas and Trae Williams as captains

Northwestern announced its four captains for the 2019 season on Friday night: Bennett Skowronek, Paddy Fisher, Jared Thomas and Trae Williams will be captaining the squad.

An ever-reliable player, Skowronek has featured in every game over the past three years, establishing himself as a consistent option for Clayton Thorson and enshrining his name in NU history with a stunning touchdown catch against Iowa that clinched the Big Ten West title. The Fort Wayne native has totaled 98 catches for 1276 yards and eight touchdowns thus far in his career.

Fisher, the lone non-senior in the group, has proven to be one of the most talented defensive players to don a purple jersey during his two years in Evanston. With 229 tackles and eight forced fumbles to this point, Fisher has become a dominant force in the Big Ten and projects to be a premier player in the conference once again this year.

An anchor on the offensive line, Thomas has become a consistent and reliable player for Fitz’s team. Starting all 14 games of his junior season, he proved to be an invaluable piece for one of the most important position groups. He will be the veteran leader of the unit this year, and will bring a notoriously positive attitude to the role.

Williams rounds off the group as he enters the decisive year of his career at Northwestern. The cornerback has garnered 84 tackles, two interceptions, 10 passes defended and three forced fumbles since 2016, all while earning the respect of his teammates. He’ll have an increased role this year with the departure of Montre Hartage, and this recognition shows how much faith the squad has in him to succeed.

Northwestern opens its season next Saturday in Palo Alto where it will square off with the Stanford Cardinal.