Coach Pat Fitzgerald and Northwestern are already off to a good start to the 2012 class by receiving the verbal commitment of running back Malin Jones (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy). Jones' commitment is the most significant running back commitment since Damien Anderson turned down Nebraska to play for the Wildcats in 1997.Jones will be a three-year starter in 2011. He averaged 10.8 yards per carry and scored 14 touchdowns as a junior. Had he not committed to Northwestern, he surely would've had several scholarship offers, but the 6-foot, 207-pounder couldn't pass up what he called the perfect opportunity."Toledo was my first scholarship offer," Jones said. "They offered between my sophomore and junior seasons. Northwestern offered this past fall. My dad and I went up to Evanston to check everything out. After talking to coach Fitzgerald, we decided that Northwestern offered the perfect situation so I gave my verbal commitment."Northwestern is close to home, they offer a great education and its close enough to home that my family can come watch me play but also far enough away from home that I can be independent. My dad and I had a long conversation and we couldn't come up with one school that would be able to change my mind."My decision is final. If any coach calls me or offers me a scholarship, I'm going to tell him that I appreciate the recognition but I'm committed. I don't want to mess up with what I have with Northwestern so I won't be looking around."Jones is the son of former Atlanta Falcons defensive back Earl Jones.Mangieri has one offerNorthwestern also has a great shot at landing linebacker Nick Mangieri (Dunlap, Ill./Dunlap). The 6-4, 230-pounder is the nephew of former Wildcat standouts Ed and Danny Sutter."Northwestern is my only scholarship offer right now," Mangieri said. "I'm planning on hitting junior days at Northwestern, Indiana, Purdue and Wisconsin. I'm hearing from just about every school in the Big Ten and the Big 12."Right now I'm in the process of just taking it all in and looking at all the schools that are sending me mail. I want to see what happens on the junior day visits and who offers in the spring before I decide which camps I'll attend."The schools that I'm most interested in right now are Northwestern, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio State. Really any Big Ten or Big 12 school would be my favorites."Mangieri will be a threeyear varsity starter in 2011. He played free safety as a sophomore and moved to linebacker as a junior and had 100 tackles, seven tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. He also started on the offensive side of the ball as a tight end. Schools recruiting Mangieri are telling him he projects as a defensive end or tight end.Morrison headed to Minnesota junior dayAntonio Morrison (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) is going to be a prospect to watch in 2011. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder was a defensive end as a sophomore that moved to his natural linebacker position as a junior."I don't have any offers yet," Morrison said. "I've just been getting a lot of mail and invitations to junior days. I'm going to Minnesota on Feb. 19 for their junior day and I'm in the process of setting up a few more."The schools that I'm most interested in right now are Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois, Iowa, Northern Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio State, Purdue, Penn State and Nebraska."Morrison had 84 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and seven sacks as a junior.