Northwestern landed a big pledge on Friday afternoon.

Pat Fitzgerald received some good news heading into the weekend with defensive back Trevon Howard announcing his commitment to the Wildcats. The Minneapolis native spent the 2020 season at IMG Academy in Florida.

“I want to thank all the great coaches that provided me with the opportunity of a lifetime,” Howard wrote on Twitter. “With that being said, I will be committing to NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY. Go Cats!”

Howard makes his decision 10 days after taking an official visit to Evanston to take in the Northwestern campus. He also took an official visit to Michigan State recently.

According to MaxPreps, Howard was credited with 12 tackles and a pick-six on an IMG squad that finished 8-0 and won a national title. He ranks as the No. 32 safety in the 2022 recruiting cycle and is also one of the Top 500 overall players in the class.

Northwestern beat out Arizona, Colorado, Iowa State, Illinois, Indiana, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, NC State and Oregon State at the Power 5 level for Howard’s pledge.

Howard is currently the second-highest-ranked player to commit to Northwestern as a member of the 2022 class. He’s behind Illinois wid receiver Reggie Fleurima, a 4-star wide receiver who committed in March.

The Wildcats’ class currently ranks No. 7 in the B1G and No. 29 in the nation.