Robert Fitzgerald
Robert Fitzgerald
Plays like an extra linebacker near the line. Third year in the Northwestern secondary, same address the whole way. His first career honor landed in 2025: All-Big Ten. The receipt: 13 tackles against Purdue — Week 8, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- recognition record
- game log
Career Arc
Trophy Case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-CONFERENCE
All-Conf mention (2025)
All-Big Ten
Coaching Lineage · 2023–2025
1 coachPlayed his entire career under David Braun.
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Splits & context
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
David Braun
Awards
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 3 · RecognizedR09 · All-Conference HM / 2nd team
All-Conference HM / 2nd team. Conference recognition has started.
Recognition
Production
Trophy Case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-CONFERENCE
All-Conf mention (2025)
All-Big Ten
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Northwestern | 106 | 63 | 6.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Northwestern | 46 | 31 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | Northwestern | 13 | 10 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 165 | 104 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 4 | 2 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 7 · 2025
W 22–21
at Penn State
5 TOT · 3 SOLO
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 1 on the road.
How he plays
Play style
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Northwestern
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive back · Northwestern
Returning around him
- 2 Northwestern players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +9 net (17 in / 8 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Northwestern · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #57 · 2026 recruiting class #52
DNA match
Player DNA
Box Safety
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Kenny Logan Jr.’s 2021 season.
Matches Kenny on
Differs from Kenny on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Amare Campbell's junior season at Penn State (2025).
Matches Amare on
Background
2025 Redshirt Junior: Earned All-Big Ten Second-Team honors … Started all 13 games for the Wildcats at safety … Posted a Big Ten-high 69 solo tackles in 13 starts this season … Racked up a team-high 114 total tackles, 6.0 TFLs, four pass breakups, one fumble recovery and an interception … Became...