Northwestern football’s newcomers to look out for in 2026

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With the 2026 season approaching fast, now is a good time to look at which new additions to Northwestern football could make the biggest impacts.

Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly

I know this isn’t a player, but the hiring of Kelly is such a huge add for this Northwestern offense. Two years ago, he was the offensive coordinator for Ohio State when it won the national championship. Before that, he saw success as Oregon’s coach and UCLA’s coach, plus has experience in the NFL. The Wildcats offense had a good season in 2025, but having Kelly to call the plays with David Braun handing him the keys, including allowing him to bring in staff he wanted, was a huge move this offseason.

Quarterback Aidan Chiles

Even though us at InsideNU have extensively covered Chiles, he has to be mentioned here. Northwestern brought him in to be the lead signal caller this year, and he brings a talented skillset with him to Evanston. His ability to extend plays with his legs fits right in to what Kelly likes to run on offense, plus Chiles has succeeded at past destinations when throwing outside the numbers. If he can improve throwing in the middle of the field more, Northwestern’s passing game could take a giant leap forward.

Tight Ends Alex Honig and Luke Dehnicke

Honig and Dehnicke both deserve to be on this list, especially when looking at Kelly offenses of the past. It wouldn’t shock me if both Honig and Dehnicke are major parts of Northwestern’s passing offense in Kelly’s system that loves to use multiple tight ends. Honig was recognized by Phil Steele as a Preseason All-B1G Third Team player as he comes over from UConn. While Honig, on paper, may seem to be the guy who will be the bigger focus at tight end, I still think Dehnicke will be more impactful. After redshirting his freshman season, Dehnicke was second in receiving yards and third in receiving touchdowns in all of Division II football in 2025. He may end up playing a slot receiver role in Kelly’s offense, but with D-II players, if they hit, then the sky’s the limit.

Offensive Tackle Grant Seagren

Seagren has familiarity playing in the Big Ten, but also playing for a coaching staff with a lot of changes. His first two seasons he spent at Nebraska, where he redshirted one and played in seven games in the other. In his lone season with Oklahoma State, during which the Cowboys’ coaching staff had a lot going on with Mike Gundy, Seagren started all 12 games and didn’t allow a sack per PFF in 403 pass blocking snaps. Seagren was the big get in the portal on the offensive line to try and replace all that Northwestern lost with players graduating, and as of now it seems like he could be a star.

EDGE Jamaal Johnson

The transfer from UCF was recognized by Phil Steele as a Preseason All-B1G Second Team player, the only second teamer or higher on the Wildcats roster not named Griffin Wilde. Johnson had a career-high 24 tackles last season for the Knights as he looks to see his production improve with more playing time under his belt. Look out for Johnson opposite Michael Kilbane on the defensive line.

Linebacker Kobie McKinzie

After redshirting his first season with Oklahoma, McKinzie appeared in all but one game (missed due to injury) over the next three seasons. In 2025, he started the first eight games at LB for the Sooners and finished the season with 32 tackles, which included a sack and 6.5 tackles-for-loss. McKinzie brings 42 games of SEC experience from his four seasons with Oklahoma to the Big Ten, where he will almost certainly be the main guy next to Braydon Brus.

Cornerback Brenden Deasfernandes

Deasfernandes’ first season of college football was back in 2020. While he didn’t play in 2020 or in 2021, and just one game in 2022 before an injury sidelined him for that season, he played sparingly for Iowa in 2023. He then transferred to Central Michigan, where his first season there he played primarily at safety. In 2025, he moved from safety to cornerback and ended up starting in nine games for the Chippewas last season, including in the GameAbove Sports Bowl against Northwestern. He had a career-high four pass breakups against the Wildcats, and after the season ended, decided to bring his talents to Evanston for one last season. Deasfernandes adds loads of experience to an already experienced defensive back group that includes Josh Fussell and Robert Fitzgerald.

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