Former Wildcats LB whose game was built on toughness, size, and high-upside instincts
Tommy Vitale arrived at Northwestern as a three-star linebacker and the No. 2 linebacker in Illinois, bringing a 6-3, 220-pound frame and a high-motor reputation from Wheaton Warrenville South, where he posted 134 tackles and 12 QB hurries as a senior. In 2015, he appeared in five games and recorded one tackle, but his college career was derailed by season-ending injuries and a medical retirement in 2016. The takeaway: he was a physical, smart, locally developed defender with real pedigree, but durability—not talent—was the separator.
