Northwestern added two Class of 2026 commits Tuesday afternoon with the three-star acquisitions of tight end Tom McGlinchey and cornerback Jaden Vaughn, in just 10 minutes of each other.
McGlinchey, ranked No. 24 in Pennsylvania and No. 39 amongst cornerbacks, visited the University of Connecticut June 13 after receiving an offer from the Huskies in April. But the 6-foot-6-inch tight end, whose brother Mike McGlinchey is an offensive tackle for the Denver Broncos, opted to play in the Big Ten.
The tight end has leaned on his older brother for guidance as he takes the next steps in his career. Back in February, the Philadelphia native posted a workout on Twitter/X designed by himself and Mike to showcase the former’s ability to transition to play tight end.
Whatever it takes! Let’s go @mcglinchey_tom ! https://t.co/O8PJ3Ts2h5
— Mike McGlinchey (@mmcglinch68) February 23, 2025
The addition of McGlinchey will hopefully add some relief for the Wildcats, who graduated key tight ends Marshall Lang and Thomas Gordon this year.
"The people at Northwestern are there to support you and push you to be your best," McGlinchey said to head coach David Braun after committing, according to Wildcat Report. "Northwestern is one of the most prestigious schools in the country and it sets you up for life after football.”
Both McGlinchey and Vaughn visited the Evanston campus Sunday during Northwestern’s second official visit weekend. Vaughn selected Northwestern over 27 other offers, including Army, Navy and University of Utah.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
With the December addition of SMU quarterback Preston Stone, things are looking up for Northwestern’s offense, which was ranked worst in the Big Ten last season. The Wildcats went 4-8 (2-7), only beating conference opponents Maryland (37-10) Oct. 11 and Purdue (26-20 OT) Nov. 2.
Northwestern’s 2026 recruiting class continues to improve, and is currently ranked No. 60 by 247Sports based on their 20 three-star commitments. Despite those positives, experts think it’s unlikely the Wildcat offense will be enough to save them come fall. CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli expects Northwestern to scrape by with four wins again this season, while On3 ranked them T-17 with Purdue at 3.5.