Last season, Drew Wagner was just another name buried on the Northwestern roster.
Wagner was a preferred walk-on for the Wildcats in 2024. He didn’t play much, making some special teams appearances here
and there along with some snaps on offense (44 of his 96 snaps last season were on special teams, 27 of his 52 offensive snaps came in the last game of the season). That all changed, though, against Iowa, when he capitalized on his opportunity as the punt returner against Iowa, scoring on a 72-yard punt return touchdown at Kinnick Stadium.
To start the 2025 season, Wagner only played snaps on special teams against Tulane. While he did then see some offensive snaps against Western Illinois, it was just one play against Oregon that symbolized his new role in the Wildcat offense.
Despite being down 34-0 and in the fourth quarter, Northwestern kept moving the ball. With under nine minutes remaining, Wagner made his name heard. On 2nd & 6 from the Oregon 49-yard line, quarterback Preston Stone faked a handoff and dropped back to pass, uncorking one deep down the middle of the field for Wagner. The throw wasn’t perfect, but the sophomore receiver went up and high-pointed the ball, making the catch with a defender right beside him. Wagner’s 40-yard reception wasn’t just the third-longest play through the air for the Wildcats this season, but also his“Big Ten” moment, as he proved he can win one-on-one’s and compete with some of the best. In this case, it was Class of 2025 five-star cornerback Na’eem Offord.
“Every ball’s not gonna be perfect,” head coach David Braun said following Northwestern’s loss to Oregon. “Preston’s gotta trust that his wide receivers are going to outcompete DB’s…That’s just what Drew did.”
Wagner’s long grab against Oregon was just the start of a season unimaginable for a preferred walk-on playing for a Big Ten team. He had to earn his place on the roster more than others since he was a preferred walk-on. That added extra fuel to Wagner’s fire. His growth never stopped and he never lost that competitive spirit he had despite limited playing time overall in 2024. The confidence he had in himself propelled him to get better day-in and day-out, so much so that he’s been playing more and more as the 2025 season has gone on.
Confidence is a way of life for Wagner.
“I believe in myself,” Wagner said. “It’s huge for the mind.”
Wagner’s coaches believe in him as well, and they have seen the effort that the former walk-on put in every day. So much so that he was just one of two Northwestern true freshmen football players who didn’t redshirt their freshman year in 2024 (the other being fellow wideout Hayden Eligon II).
“Drew’s been the same guy every single day since he stepped on campus,” Northwestern wide receiver coach Armon Binns said. “ One of the hardest workers in the building. Focused, asks great questions, shows up with great energy every day, competes his tail off, plays as hard as anybody I’ve ever been around.”
Wagner still has that chip on his shoulder from being a preferred walk-on last season and knows he has to outwork everyone to carve out a role.
“My scholarship was amazing, I’m so blessed with that,” Wagner said, “but I feel like still thinking of myself as a walk-on is what continues to keep that grit…In my eyes I’m still a walk-on and still unproven and still doubted.”
Wagner was originally committed to play football for Navy, where he would have done so on scholarship. Instead, he took a gamble and bet on himself, de-committing from Navy and taking Northwestern’s preferred walk-on offer instead. At the time, although risky, it felt like the right option for Wagner. The move ultimately paid off, as he’s now an integral part of Northwestern’s offense.
“Drew is the definition of a gamer,” Binns said. “When the lights are on, when the moments is the biggest, Drew’s gonna step up. He’s going to meet the moment. He fits the mold of what we’re looking for in a wide receiver and he plays the game the right way.”
Coming into this season, the most experienced player in NU’s wide receiver room was a junior transfer (Griffin Wilde) from FCS South Dakota State. Wagner, like the vast majority of the receiver room, needed to prove himself and show his teammates (especially his quarterback) that he’s a guy who can be trusted when the ball goes his way. Northwestern quarterback Preston Stone, a fifth-year senior, described the true sophomore as a veteran in his preparation.
“Drew is an incredible playmaker,” Stone said. “He’s one of those guys that if you put the ball anywhere in his general direction, I have a ton of confidence he’s gonna come down with it. And that doesn’t just show up on game days. It’s the way he practices. It’s the way he trains.”
It all goes back to Wagner believing in himself.
“Knowing the fact that you’re gonna go up against someone, you’ve got to believe that you’re going to win,” Wagner said.
But the 2025 season started off slow for the sophomore.
Wagner saw the field on just 11 special teams snaps in the season opener against Tulane, with just two fair catches to show for it on the stat sheet. The ‘Cats scored just three points in the Week 1 loss, and an increased workload for the young wide receiver was one of many changes made by coach Braun after the poor offensive showing.
For a player with just three receptions for 31 yards on four targets and 52 total offensive snaps the year prior, Wagner saw an uptick of 20 offensive snaps against an FCS opponent Western Illinois. He did just run three routes, as 17 of the 20 snaps were on run plays, but he was targeted twice and scored his first receiving touchdown of his career.
The following week, Wagner played just 12 offensive snaps against Oregon. He again ran just three routes, catching only one pass. The usage and snaps increased compared to the season prior as a whole, but it was the Week 4 bye week that helped to open the floodgates.
In Week 5, Wagner truly emerged. He was on the field for 33 offensive snaps, running 11 routes and catching two of his three targets. While the two “receptions” he had were on pop passes, he did have an eight-yard run. Wagner was involved in the game plan and did his job in run blocking, finishing with a season-high 21 run blocking snaps.
“You gotta like blocking,” Wagner said. “Putting someone on the ground and seeing your running back run right by you, that’s honestly the best feeling.”
To fans, blocking is often overlooked, especially for wideouts. However, that was one of the keys that got Wagner more playing time. He emphasized that blocking is about helping the team as a whole to succeed; something he has continuously worked on and improved outside of his increased role as a pass-catcher.
“You heard the phrase: no block, no rock,” Coach Binns said. “We embody that around here and that also just comes with Big Ten football. We’re gonna run the freaking ball around here.”
While blocking got him more playing time, it was against Louisiana-Monroe in Week 6 that Wagner had career-highs in targets, catches and yards: seven targets for six receptions and 63 receiving yards. He also scored a touchdown to add the cherry on top. After making a name for himself against Oregon, Wagner showed what he can do so with higher volume and that he’s always going to be ready for his moment.
Wagner’s role expanded once more in Northwestern’s Week 7 upset of Penn State, as he lined up for a season-high 11 snaps at wide receiver. He ran routes from the outside twice but remained heavily involved in Braun’s offensive gameplan, finishing tied for second in total targets (four) and catching two passes in the process.
“Just halfway through the season right now for regular season games, so we got to keep our foot on the gas pedal,” Wagner said after Northwestern’s upset of Penn State in Happy Valley. “When you’re playing, you’re playing. It’s great to look around when you get there, but when you’re on the field it doesn’t matter who’s there, who’s watching.”
Wagner embodies the “go 1-0 each week” mentality, as he originally wasn’t seeing the field every week. Getting more run, working harder than everyone else in practice and believing in himself is what makes the sophomore stand out. Everything Wagner has done on the field is a product of him earning that. One thing is for certain: Drew Wagner will always have that chip on his shoulder to keep him motivated.
