Marist offensive lineman Deuce McGuire commits to Northwestern

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald locked up another top local recruit Monday when Marist offensive tackle Deuce McGuire announced his commitment on Twitter.

The Wildcats now have commitments from three of the top juniors in Illinois according to the 247Sports.com composite rankings: No. 5 Reggie Fleurima, a wide receiver from Naperville Central; No. 6 McGuire; and No. 9 Chris Petrucci, a tight end from Maine South.

“He always said he wanted to start and finish that in Chicago,” McGuire said of Fitzgerald’s local recruiting focus. “Chris and Reggie, they’re great guys, they’re a perfect fit as well.”

McGuire, a 6-foot-5, 270-pounder, has more than 20 offers, including four others from the Big Ten (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota), five from the Pac-12 (Arizona, Arizona State, California, Colorado, Oregon) and two from the SEC (Kentucky, Tennessee).

But the three-star prospect loved the Wildcats from the start.

“The school itself checked every single box I looked for,” McGuire said. “Me and the coaching staff just clicked.”

It didn’t hurt that McGuire was able to visit the Northwestern campus just before the pandemic lockdown last year.

“I went on maybe three visits,” he said. “Everything else was over Zoom.”

McGuire was part of a dominant offensive line this spring for the RedHawks, who also had Notre Dame-bound senior Pat Coogan up front.

Coogan’s advice on the recruiting process helped inform McGuire’s decision.

“We play the same position,” McGuire said. “He was talking to a lot of the same coaches.”

Now they’re both heading to Power Five schools.

“If you were to tell me when I was a little kid I’d be playing for Northwestern, I’d say you’re crazy or something,” McGuire said.

“Oh, and that nickname? I’m a junior, named after my dad,” McGuire said. “One of his buddies started calling me that. It kind of stuck.”