But the 19-man class that signed with Northwestern on Wednesday represented the school's first group with Fitzgerald at the helm. If the internet rankings are an accurate barometer, then the 32-year-old Fitzgerald and his staff kicked the Wildcats' recruiting up a notch.

While Northwestern split its mostly three-star recruits almost evenly between offense and defense, it appears the early contributors will come on the side of the ball where the Wildcats have had the most issues in years past.

Cornerback Jordan Mabin, linebacker Bryce McNaul and defensive linemen Niko Mafuli, Vince Browne and Jack DiNardo are among those who could make an immediate impact.

Mabin made his reputation in high school as a running back -- he posted 6,700 career rushing yards -- but he'll specialize on ball-hawking and kick-returning for Northwestern.

"As a former defensive guy," Fitzgerald said in the Daily Herald, "it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up when a tailback says, 'I want to play defense.' "

With virtually every skill player returning, Northwestern didn't need immediate help there. But the 'Cats set themselves up down the road with quarterback Dan Persa (Pennsylvania's 4A player of the year), running back Scott Concannon (10.3 yards per rush) and wideout Charles Brown (a rare pickup from Chicago's Public League).

TOP RECRUITS:

--CB Jordan Mabin, Northfield Center, Ohio -- Though he piled up 81 rushing touchdowns during his celebrated prep career, Mabin will be in charge of preventing touchdowns at Northwestern. The 5-foot-11, 175-pounder was judged to be the nation's 20th-best cornerback prospect by SuperPrep and the 27th-best defensive back by Rivals.com. In other words, look for him on the field sooner than later. He'll also help return kicks.

--DE Jack DiNardo, Hinsdale, Ill. -- If this were horse racing, this 6-foot-4, 250-pounder would be a cinch to be a star. His father, Larry, was a two-time all-American at Notre Dame while his better-known uncle, Gerry, also was an all-American for the Irish. This generation's DiNardo is a fierce pass-rusher who racked up 20 sacks and 37 tackles for loss during his final two years in high school. Oh, and did we mention another uncle, John Voorhees, was Northwestern's team MVP in 1971?

--QB Dan Persa, Bethlehem, Pa. -- Northwestern loves quarterbacks who can run it almost as good as they throw it, so this 18-year-old should fit right in. The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder Persa became the first player in Pennsylvania history to throw for more than 2,000 yards and run for more than 1,000 in the same season. For his career, Persa piled up 5,779 yards and 59 scores through the air with 2,526 yards and 32 TDs on the ground.

--Offensive coordinator Garrick McGee, though, made news when he was charged with a DUI and speeding on Christmas Eve in Tulsa, Okla.

--Defensive tackle Kendall Mason, who signed with Northwestern in the 2006 recruiting class, is no longer listed on the Wildcats' roster. He did not playlast fall.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "This class started a long time ago -- to this time last year. First and foremost, I have to give credit to Coach Walker." -- NU coach Pat Fitzgerald crediting his late mentor for doing the early work on the 19-man class that signed Wednesday.

PRO POTENTIAL: Of the 326 players invited to the NFL combine, none of them hail from Northwestern. That's a decent indication that the Wildcats' small senior class doesn't have much allure to the pros, but things could change between now and April.

LB Nick Roach -- He was the Wildcats' best player when he suffered a season-ending broken leg in October. Coach Pat Fitzgerald firmly believes Roach will be no worse than a long-time special-teams standout in the pros, so look for him to latch on somewhere.

CB Marquice Cole -- He and the Wildcats had high hopes after a solid junior year, but Cole didn't quite live up to his billing last fall as injuries didn't help his cause. Cole has terrific speed, so there's a chance someone could use him.

OT Ryan Keenan -- The former defensive lineman flipped sides and became a solid offensive lineman. That versatility and willingness to do what's best for a team seem like good attributes for a potential late-rounder or free agent.

ROSTER REPORT: WR Kim Thompson, expected to play a key role last year, hardly got the opportunity. He broke his foot before the season and then left the team for personal reasons in October. According to the Daily Herald, however, Thompson has rejoined the team and will participate in spring practice.