IC Catholic three-star ranked senior running back Jordan Rowell (6-foot-2, 188 pounds) decided to stay closer to home for college when he gave NIU and head coach Rod Carey his verbal commitment tonight.
"I'm just very excited about my decision to commit to NIU," Rowell said. "In the end I just wanted to go to NIU. I've visited twice and each time I've really enjoyed it. NIU has always been one of my favorite teams growing up because they are so close to home."
Rowell, who also had Big Ten offers from Iowa and Purdue just felt an early connection to the NIU Huskies which never left him this summer.
"I just absolutely loved it at NIU and even when I first visited it was pretty cold in DeKalb but I had a warm feeling inside for NIU and that feeling has never left me."
Rowell is now the sixth known commitment for the NIU Huskies in the Class of 2017 and the fourth in-state commitment, Rowell joins St. Charles North OT Isaac Hawn, Phillips DB Dexter Warren and DeKalb WR Cole Tucker as in-state pledges.