By Austin Siegel

In the early morning hours of October 12, Xander Mueller got on a plane at Baltimore/Washington International Airport with an unfamiliar feeling.

Northwestern’s do-everything senior linebacker has won bowl games and rivalry trophies in his time as a Wildcat, but until a 37-10 victory over Maryland last month, Mueller had never experienced a flight back to Chicago after a victory on the road.

Bus rides? A couple after wins in Iowa City, West Lafayette and Champaign. Never a flight.

“I guess we did win a game in Ireland,” Mueller said with a laugh. “But I think that was technically a home game.”

There aren’t many new experiences left in Evanston for someone like Mueller, who arrived on campus in 2020 and has twice been named a captain under head coach David Braun.

Flights home after a win are one. But the biggest has been NIL and the accompanying changes to college sports, including new revenue opportunities for student-athletes.

Mueller watches the same commercials you do – like a new Dr. Pepper spot featuring Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers – and he’s in favor of opportunities for student-athletes to monetize their success, whether from brands or college football supporters.

NIL opportunities have certainly been available to Mueller, who was recently named a semi-finalist for the Campbell Trophy, awarded annually to the best scholar-athlete in college football.

“NIL wasn’t part of my recruiting process since it was still a few years away, but it’s been a big change,” Mueller said. “We have such a unique alumni base, a small but very strong group of people, that we’re able to utilize even as the NIL landscape continues to change.”

But as Northwestern head coach David Braun brought to light in a press conference earlier this month, Mueller’s approach to NIL is unique in an era where most of the headlines are about brand endorsements and recruiting battles fought with seemingly blank checks.

“I won’t go into detail but some of the opportunities that have come Xander Mueller’s way, he has poured back into his teammates,” Braun said. “Especially the walk-ons.”

 

 

For Mueller, the decision to use his NIL to help support walk-on student-athletes at Northwestern is grounded in both the past and present of his football journey.

Mueller’s brother Erik walked on at Northwestern in 2016, helping the Wildcats reach the Big Ten Championship game in 2018. When Xander followed him from Wheaton North to Northwestern, the Mueller brothers made their one season as teammates count with a Citrus Bowl victory over Auburn in 2020.

“I saw first-hand how hard you have to work. Those guys put a ton into the program,” Mueller said of watching his brother. “It’s all about remembering that there are guys next to you who are working just as hard and doing it without a scholarship.”

Supporting walk-on teammates is more than just a nice story for Mueller. It’s an investment in student-athletes who have become leaders in Northwestern’s football program.

One of them lined up just a few yards in front of Mueller against Maryland, as former walk-on defensive lineman Carmine Bastone made his first appearance of the season after returning from injury.

With the Wildcats clinging to a seven-point lead early in the fourth quarter, Bastone got to the quarterback for a strip sack, before the bouncing ball was recovered by Aidan Hubbard in the endzone for Northwestern’s first defensive touchdown of the season.

“It’s cool to see those guys succeed who are overlooked in high school but have the same motivation, and maybe even a little more, than everyone else,” Mueller said. “It’s been awesome being around those guys and I think it gives our program even more of an edge.”

 

 

Another former Northwestern walk-on is TrueNU Executive Director Jacob Schmidt.

“Xander’s selfless approach to NIL speaks volumes to the type of person he is,” Schmidt said.  “He’s one of the best linebackers in the Big Ten but would rather share his opportunities with his teammates? That’s a kid I want as my captain, as my teammate, as my colleague. That’s leadership.”

Mueller has been hobbled by a lower-body injury he sustained during the Wisconsin game, but his head coach said he expects him back, “sooner rather than later.”

And Braun already knows where Mueller’s individual success – he was the only player in the Big Ten with at least 40 tackles and four passes defended through eight weeks – could lead next spring.

“I get the opportunity to talk with pro scouts almost every day about Xander. And those are always such fun conversations, because all I have to do is tell the truth,” Braun said. “In a day and age in college football where it’s becoming more and more about what’s in it for me, Xander Mueller is the ultimate team player.”