BREAKING: Four-star Edge Anto Saka commits to NU, breaking the Wildcats’ 2022 class into the nation’s top 25

It’s becoming hard to write original ledes about just how well Northwestern’s 2022 recruiting class is shaping up, and with yet another major commitment, that problem will only persist at Inside NU.

Anto Saka, a four-star edge rusher from Towson, Md., committed to the ‘Cats on Saturday afternoon, becoming the 15th overall member of the class. Slotted at 330th nationally in the Class of 2022 by 247Sports’ composite rankings, Saka is now the second-highest ranked commit in Northwestern’s group behind only wide receiver Reggie Fleurima.

NU beat out fellow finalists Penn State and USC for Saka’s commitment. The addition also induces the envy of the Big Ten, as more than half of the conference’s programs — including Michigan, Minnesota and Michigan State — extended a scholarship offer to Saka at some point.

Saka’s 6-foot-2, 230 pound frame gives him the requisite size to beat linemen physically when needed, but his speed is what truly sets him apart from the majority of edge rushers in his class to help make him the 16th ranked recruit at the position nationally. In addition to spending time on the gridiron, Saka has run track in high school, posting an 11.5 second 100-meter dash time. His track training translates to the football field, where his highlight tape shows him regularly reaching the quarterback in mere seconds.

With the addition of Saka, NU has reached a milestone by breaking into the nation’s top 25 recruiting classes this cycle. If the Wildcats’ current ranking of 21st (per 247Sports) persists, it will become an all-time best for the program, and with several four-star recruits considering NU yet to commit — including Fisher Anderson, Damari Alston and Selah Brown — the potential remains for the group to maintain its stature or get even stronger.