Northwestern Linebackers Face Big Test Replacing All-Big Ten Star Mac Uihlein
With just three weeks until kickoff at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, the Wildcats' linebacker room enters 2026 with experience, continuity, and one massive void to fill. The departure of All-Big Ten third-teamer Mac Uihlein leaves big shoes to step into, but returning starter Braydon Brus and Oklahoma transfer Kobie McKinzie are ready to anchor the defense.
Northwestern's defense allowed just 19.8 points per game last season, ranking fifth in the Big Ten and 24th nationally. Defensive coordinator Tim McGarigle, a Northwestern alum and the program's all-time leading tackler, returns for his third season leading the unit. His track record speaks for itself: six All-Big Ten linebackers coached since 2018, including 2020 Big Ten Linebacker of the Year Paddy Fisher.
Who Left and Who Steps Up
The Wildcats lost three key contributors from last year's squad. Uihlein graduated after a standout season with 100 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, four interceptions, and one forced fumble. Purdue transfer Yanni Karlaftis saw his season limited to five games due to injury, finishing with just 11 tackles. Yale grad transfer Nathaniel Campbell also departed.
Stepping into the spotlight are two players who already split reps last season. Brus, a graduate transfer who won the WILL linebacker job, recorded 81 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in 2025. He closed the year with a team-high 11 tackles in the bowl win over Central Michigan.
McKinzie, a transfer from Oklahoma, started seven games at MIKE and one at WILL for the Sooners. Rated as Northwestern's second-best transfer of the offseason by On3, he brings SEC-level competition experience to Evanston.
Depth and Development
Beyond the top two, the Wildcats are counting on internal growth. Nigel Glover, a former four-star recruit entering his third year, recorded just five tackles in 12 games last season but remains the leading breakout candidate. Iowa State transfer Jack Sadowsky V adds depth with six tackles in 13 games, while Payton Roth and Jason Reynolds II round out the second and third strings.
McGarigle's Multiple 4-3/4-2-5 scheme leans heavily on the MIKE and WILL positions, with a SAM mixed in on three-linebacker downs. Both Brus and McKinzie should see their roles shift game to game, similar to how Uihlein and Brus operated last season.
The Biggest Question: Replacing Uihlein's Playmaking
Uihlein wasn't just a tackling machine. His four interceptions and 6.0 tackles for loss provided the kind of game-changing plays that elevate a good defense to a tough one. McKinzie arrives with a strong resume, but matching that coverage and ball production at MIKE remains an open question heading into his first year in Evanston.
For Glover, now in his third year, the time to fulfill breakout expectations may finally be now. Extended snaps behind Brus and McKinzie would deepen a depth chart that otherwise thins out quickly beyond the top names.
Projected 2026 Linebacker Depth Chart
- MIKE: Kobie McKinzie, Nigel Glover/Jack Sadowsky V
- WILL: Braydon Brus, Nigel Glover
- SAM/Special Teams: Payton Roth, Jason Reynolds II
- Depth: Matthew Smith, Max Mohring, Josh Veldman, Lincoln Creager, Qayvier Johnson, Miles Crutchley, Amare Jordan
With a veteran coordinator, a returning starter, and a proven transfer, Northwestern's linebacker room has the pieces to compete. Whether they can replace Uihlein's production will determine just how far this defense can go in 2026.