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Countdown to College Football Kickoff: Top NFL prospects at Northwestern

The Wildcats suffered through a tough 2019 but the brilliant play of senior left tackle Rashawn Slater was an obvious highlight.

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Countdown to College Football Kickoff: Top NFL prospects at Northwestern
Countdown to College Football Kickoff: Top NFL prospects at Northwestern /

College football is scheduled to return Saturday, August 29. Each day until then, NFLDraftScout.com will be evaluating the rosters of the best teams in college football, including all 64 within the Power Five conferences.

Northwestern Wildcats

Head Coach: Pat Fitzgerald (15th season)

2019 Record: 3-9

2020 NFL Draft Picks: None

Overview:

There is no gentle way of describing Northwestern’s 2019 season, which resulted in a 3-9 record that is the worst of Pat Fitzgerald’s 14 seasons as the Wildcats’ head coach and second only to the 2-9 campaign he experienced as a freshman linebacker for the program under then-coach Gary Barnett way back in 1993.

It was a steep fall as the Wildcats entered the 2019 campaign having finished with a winning record the past four consecutive years, qualifying for bowl games each time and winning the past three of them, including a 31-20 Holiday Bowl win to cap the 2018 season.

As is often the case, the Wildcats’ struggles in 2019 can be tied directly to the quarterback position, as the team was unable to replace the production and leadership lost with four-year starter Clayton Thorson being drafted in the fifth round by the Philadelphia Eagles. Thorson accounted for 3,580 combined passing and rushing yards and scored 22 touchdowns for the Wildcats in 2018. By comparison, the Wildcats had four different quarterbacks attempt passes in 2019 with the quartet combining for 1,890 total yards and 12 scores in as many games. The Wildcats have relied upon their ground game throughout Fitzgerald’s tenure but 2019 was ridiculous with Northwestern’s passers completing just 50% of their total passes while averaging 117 passing yards per game, dead last in the FBS.

Scoring just 16.3 points per game (ranking 126 out of 130 teams) put an awful lot of pressure on Northwestern’s defense, which did well to “only” allow 23.6 points per contest in 2019, 43 in the national rankings.

Fortunately, there is optimism that Northwestern’s nightmarish quarterback play could have a reprieve in 2020 with graduate transfer Peyton Ramsey leaving Indiana to join the Wildcats for his last year of collegiate eligibility. Perhaps even more important in the long-term, the Wildcats also switched offensive coordinators, bringing in Mike Bajakian from Boston College.

Featured 2021 NFL Draft Prospect: Rashawn Slater, OL, 6-4, 315, 5.15, SR

It isn’t often that sons of NBA players wind up playing on the offensive line in the NFL but that may very well be the case with Slater, arguably the Wildcats’ best prospect since Pat Fitzgerald took over as head coach back in 2006.

Slater (whose father, Reggie, played eight seasons with the Nuggets, Raptors and Timberwolves), proved an immediate standout, starting all 12 games at right tackle as a true freshman. He stayed there in 2018, starting all 14 games, before making the switch to left tackle last year, where he started all 11 contests in which he played, missing

Showing the same light feet and balance which helped his father box out opponents, Slater has the quickness and agility teams expect out of a left tackle.

His NFL future, however, may lie inside as Slater lacks ideal height and arm length for the perimeter. Because of this possible transition, Slater may want to consider competing at a post-season all-star game despite his already impressive resume, which includes earning Third Team all-conference honors from Big Ten coaches in 2018 and consensus accolades from the coaches and media, alike, following the 2019 campaign.

Despite his accolades, Slater is a relative unknown outside of the Big Ten, which is unfortunate as he’s a Top 50 candidate for the 2021 draft.

To put that in perspective, no player selected out of Northwestern has earned even a Top 100 selection since 2005.

Strengths: Looks taller and slimmer on tape than his listed size with NFL-caliber athleticism readily apparent. Good initial quickness off the snap, sliding out of his two-point stance with urgency and balance to tightly protect the arc.

Quick enough off the snap to pull off difficult scoop and down blocks on defensive tackles, crashing inside and sealing them off… Plays on the balls of his feet and shows nice lateral agility in his shuffle and mirror, maintaining proper knee bend with active, forceful hands to stab and punch at pass rushers without getting too far over his skis. Good power and balance through contact, maintaining proper leverage due to his knee bend and core strength, allowing him to anchor effectively, even when defenders have a running start… Experience shows in his quick recognition and pass-offs on blitzes and twists. Zone blocking proponents will appreciate Slater’s burst off the ball in the running game, showing the quickness and balance to adjust on the fly, as well as the recognition of where defenders are going.

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Smart player who understands angles. Enters his senior campaign with 37 starts, with experience blocking on both left (11) and right tackle (26) positions. Should be able to offer his team a lot of position versatility. Performed well against top competition, including No. 2 overall pick Chase Young (Washington) and Ohio State. 

Weaknesses: College tackle whose average height and length may push him inside in the NFL, a position he’s never played. Quick off the snap but simply does not possess the long arms to lasso and recover should pass rushers cross his face, relying on his quarterback stepping up into the pocket. Gets a little handsy, extending his arms too far and risking drawing holding penalties for letting his hands slip outside of the numbers. Ducks his head when gearing up for big collisions, leaving himself vulnerable to quick swim and spins. Further, Slater is not the Earth-mover his frame suggests, needing to gain more leg drive to generate movement at the point of attack in the NFL, especially if moved inside.

NFL Player Comparison: Ali Marpet, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Marpet played his college ball at relatively tiny Hobart so the jump in competition that he faced is certainly different than what Slater has excelled against in the Big Ten. In many other ways, however, the players are very similar, including in their collegiate experience solely being at tackle despite projecting better to guard for the NFL, as well as their “average” size (Marpet weighed in at 6-3 7/8, 307 pounds at the 2015 Combine) and above-average athleticism, among offensive linemen. Since being selected 61 overall, Marpet has started 72 games for the Bucs, seeing time at center, left guard and right guard – but not tackle during that time.

Current NFL Draft Projection: Second Round

The Top 10 NFL Prospects at Northwestern:

1. Rashawn Slater, OG, 6-4, 315, 5.15, SR

2. Paddy Fisher, ILB, 6-3, 241, 4.72, SR

3. Peyton Ramsey, QB, 6-1, 216, 4.75, rSR – transfer from Indiana 

4. Blake Gallagher, OLB, 6-0, 227, 4.70, SR

5. Travis Whillock, S, 6-0, 200, 4.60, rSR

6. Greg Newsome II, CB, 6-0, 185, 4.50, JR

7. Riley Lees, WR, 6-0, 206, 4.55, rSR

8. Earnest Brown IV, DE, 6-4, 254, 4.75, SR

9. Hunter Johnson, QB, 6-1, 210, 4.65, rJR

10. John Raine, FB, 6-1, 235, 4.75, SR - Florida Atlantic graduate transfer

*All 40-yard dash times are estimates

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