North pulls the trigger
Despite playing for a school that was ranked as one of the top five teams in the country for the majority of last season, Allen (Texas) offensive center Brad North still remained a bit of an unknown prior to earning MVP honors at the Dallas Nike Camp.
Things picked up quickly after that, though, and the 6-foot-3, 280-pound North racked up numerous offers. On Thursday night he decided to end the recruiting process.
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"I committed to Northwestern yesterday," North said on Friday morning. "I had taken an unofficial visit there this past weekend and was just very impressed with everything.
"It was a great school. I think it's a great school for me academically, athletically and socially. I got along really well with the players, the people there in general and the coaches - they all treated me very well. I just felt like I fit in there."
North called his recruiter and was able to speak with the offensive line coach as well.
"I committed last night," he said. "I called coach (Matt) MacPherson at first because he recruits my area. I told him I wanted to go ahead and commit to Northwestern because it's a great program and I think it's a great fit for me. He was excited and of course I'm excited about all this.
"He called coach (Adam) Cushing into the room and I talked to him. He said he loved the fact that he got a center and that it was me. He and I had been talking for quite some time and I felt like I had built up a good relationship with him."
North was also able to deliver the news to head coach Pat Fitzgerald.
"Later on that night I ended up calling coach Fitzgerald and he accepted my commitment," he said. "I was very ecstatic about it and he was too."
North says his pledge to the Wildcats is completely solid.
"I am 100-percent sure that Northwestern is the place I'm going to be and it's the place I need to be," he said. "I'm not taking any other visits to any other schools."
North is ranked as the No. 5 offensive center in the country and the No. 76 player in the state of Texas.