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By David Boyce  |  2016 National Signing Day Class  |  2016 Football Schedule

MARYVILLE, Mo. - As football letters of intent start arriving Wednesday on National Signing Day, a warm feeling engulfs head coach Adam Dorrel and his staff.
 
"Signing day is a special deal for our coaching staff, for the university and our fans," Dorrel said.
 
Although the 17 defensive players and 10 offensive players will likely not see any game action for the 2016 season, getting the signature of the incoming student-athletes represents the start of a new football season for Dorrel.
 
When the fall semester arrives, a new group of Bearcats will begin their journey as student-athletes, growing from teenagers to young men by the time they leave five years down the road.
 
For fans, signing day is enjoyable. Looking at the list of names, where the player is from and trying to figure out where the student-athlete will fit in always creates conversations among Northwest alums and followers.
 
The Northwest coaches know the impact the players signing on Wednesday will come two, three and four years down the road. The first priority is to make sure the 2016 recruits find success away from the football field.
 
 "I always use the word acclimated," Dorrel said. "We allow them to come in and get situated socially and academically. Being away from home is a major event for them. To not have to put that third component of competing and the pressure of winning football games on a true freshman is one of the secrets to our success."
 
Once again Dorrel likes the class that is coming in. He knows it sounds like a broken record. Dorrel laughed when he said no football coach will say he doesn't like his recruiting class.
 
"I am just pleased with the quality of the student-athlete again," Dorrel said. "We feel we got outstanding character, good athletes and good students.
 
"I feel like these kids are good players, but the thing I am excited about, I feel like none of them have topped out. We feel like there is a lot more growth potential in all of them, physically and mentally."
 
The priority in the 2016 recruiting class was defense, particularly at the defensive back spot. Eight of the 17 defensive recruits are in the secondary, seven will be on the defensive line and two are linebackers.
 
"Probably a little heavier in defensive backs just because of where we are at with our team right now with graduation and some other things," Dorrel said. "When we started going through our boards, we felt like we hit."
 
Geographically, nine players are from Nebraska.
 
"I feel like we hit a home run there," Dorrel said.
 
Eight of the recruits are from the state of Missouri, two from Florida, three from Iowa, two from Illinois, one from Wisconsin, one from Texas and one from Kansas.
 
Because of the two decades of success, Northwest has an advantage over many other Division II programs in the MIAA. The Bearcats have won five national titles since 1998.
 
Northwest is coming of its second 15-0, National championship season in the last three years. In those three years, the Bearcats are 40-2. The pinnacle of that success was on stage Dec. 19 when a record crowd of 16,181 showed up at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan., and watched Northwest beat Shepherd 34-7 in the 2015 championship game.
 
Dorrel isn't sure how much winning the national title helped seal a signing.
 
"Honestly, it depends on the kid," Dorrel said. "I wish I could tell you it was the overall factor. I will tell you this: It really gets kids on campus. It at least gives us a chance.
 
"We feel like we are recruiting against some FCS schools, the former NCAA I-AA. We go head-to-head with those folks. By winning the national championship, it at least gives us a chance against some of those top end kids and get them on campus. Quite honestly, we beat some of those schools on some of these kids. But every kid is unique and a little bit different."
 
The reason why Dorrel believes national signing day is special for the entire campus is because it takes more than just the football coaches to get a recruit to come to Northwest.
 
"Unless you dig deep into recruiting, the average fan doesn't understand how much time and energy it takes to recruit young men," Dorrel said. "It is a campus-wide effort, from our administrative staff to our academic staff to our coaches. It is a special day."