6A All-State Team: Offense Edition
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Continuing the All-State offensive series we’re taking a look at 6A Football throughout the state of Illinois. I have gone through over 200 players to determine the first team, second team, and honorable mention. Without further ado, let’s dive into…
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Continue ReadingContinuing the All-State offensive series we’re taking a look at 6A Football throughout the state of Illinois. I have gone through over 200 players to determine the first team, second team, and honorable mention. Without further ado, let’s dive into the 6A All-State Team – Offensive Edition.
First Team
QB Athan Kaliakmanis Athan Kaliakmanis 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Antioch | 2021 State IL 21’ Antioch Twitter
Mr. Kaliakmanis is from Antioch, he gets the ball off under pressure and can put zip on the ball. He has good pocket footwork which helps him extend plays when the pocket collapses to find his man downfield for a completion, has a touch on the deep ball, and puts the ball in the receiver’s basket. Mr. Kaliakmanis makes level 1 2 &3 throws, can throw on the run, and is mobile where he showcases his speed/quick acceleration.
QB Rashad Rochelle Rashad Rochelle 6'0" | 185 lbs | QB Springfield | 2022 State IL 22’ Springfield
Mr. Rochelle is from Springfield, he runs the read-option to showcase his quick acceleration and speed. He gets the ball off under pressure, has a touch on the deep ball, and puts the ball in the receiver’s basket. Mr. Rochelle escapes pocket pressure by scrambling where he bursts past the 2nd level of defenders, can make level 1 2 & 3 throws, and showcases his elusiveness by making defenders miss. He’s a dual-threat QB that plays through contact and is a deadly return man as well.
RB Dino Kaliakmanis Dino Kaliakmanis 6'2" | 190 lbs | WR Antioch | 2021 State IL 21’ Antioch Twitter
Mr. Kaliakmanis is from Antioch, he’s an N/S runner and a deadly return man as well. He has quick acceleration to blow by the 2nd level of defenders, reads his blocks well, and has the vision to see cutback lanes. Mr. Kaliakmanis plays through contact by breaking arm tackles, is quick off of the line of scrimmage, and finds soft spots in the defense getting it done in the ground attack as well as the air attack.
RB Ryan Mann Ryan Mann 6'0" | 205 lbs | ATH Vernon Hills | 2021 IL 21’ Vernon Hills Twitter
Mr. Mann is from Vernon Hills, he’s an N/S runner that reads blocks well and has the speed to turn the corner. He plays through contact by breaking arm tackles, bursts past the 2nd level of defenders, and has the vision to see the cutback lanes. Mr. Mann keeps his feet driving to fight for extra yards, has good change of direction where he can stop on a time then accelerate back to top speed quickly, and is a playmaker for his team.
WR Luke Jones Luke Jones 6'0" | 170 lbs | WR Deerfield | 2022 State IL 22’ Deerfield Twitter
Mr. Jones is from Deerfield, he’s quick off of the line of scrimmage and is a deadly return man as well. He makes contested catches by high pointing the ball, beats the press with quick feet, and is elusive by making defenders miss. Mr. Jones runs jet sweeps which is where his good change of direction comes to light (able to stop on a dime and acceleration to full speed quickly), has playmaking abilities, and once he secures the catch he plants his foot to turn upfield.
WR Kenneth Cotton 21’ East St. Louis Twitter
Mr. Cotton is from East St. Louis, he has quick acceleration and runs jet sweeps. He’s a deep threat that is quick off of the line of scrimmage, finds the soft spot in the opposing defense, and makes defenders miss showcasing his elusiveness. Once Mr. Cotton secures the catch he plants his foot to turn upfield, has playmaking abilities, and has a good change of direction where he’s able to stop on a dime then accelerate back to top speed quickly.
WR Jalil Martin Jalil Martin 6'3" | 180 lbs | WR Kenwood | 2022 State IL 22’ Kenwood Twitter
Mr. Martin is from Kenwood, he’s a deep threat that’s quick off of the line of scrimmage. He makes contested catches by high pointing the ball, blocks downfield for his teammates, and has fast feet when pressed which allows him to stack the defender. Mr. Martin has playmaking abilities, can make the catch in traffic, and plants his foot to turn upfield once he secures the catch. He plays through the whistle and runs crisps routes showcasing his route running skills.
WR Branden Nava 21’ Lakes Community Twitter
Mr. Nava is from Lakes Community, he’s quick off of the line of scrimmage and has quick acceleration. He makes contested catches by high pointing the ball, finds the soft spot in the defense, and is elusive making defenders miss. Mr. Nava runs the read-option out of the wildcat formation where he reads his blocks well and once he secures the catch he plants his foot to turn upfield.
TE Jameson Geers Jameson Geers 6'5" | 230 lbs | TE Providence | 2021 State IL 21’ Providence Catholic Twitter
Mr. Geers is from Providence Catholic, he creates running lanes and gets to 2nd level blocks. He makes contested catches, finds the soft spot in the defense, and plants his foot to turn upfield once he secures the catch. Mr. Geers plays through the whistle where he keeps his feet driving resulting in pancaking defenders and has quick acceleration to pair with it.
TE Cole Rusk Cole Rusk 6'6" | 220 lbs | TE Rock Island | 2021 IL 21’ Rock Island Twitter
Mr. Rusk is from Rock Island, he’s a deep threat that makes contested catches by high pointing the ball and finds the soft spot in the defense. He keeps his feet driving resulting in pancaking defenders, blocks downfield, and breaks arm tackles. Mr. Rusk reads his blocks well, gets upfield after securing the catch, and plays through the whistle.
OL Miles McVay Miles McVay 6'7" | 345 lbs | OL East St. Louis | 2023 State IL 23’ East St Louis Twitter
Mr. McVay is from East St Louis, he creates running lanes when pulling and gets to 2nd level blocks. He’s able to block in open space as well as block downfield, plays through the whistle, and keeps his feet driving resulting in pancaking defenders. Mr. McVay holds his own one-on-one in pass pro by staying square and forcing the outside rush. He gets hands-on quickly and fires off of the ball getting after it in both offensive attacks.
OL Mack Indestad Mack Indestad 6'6" | 265 lbs | OL Lemont | 2022 State IL 22’ Lemont Twitter
Mr. Indestad is from Lemont, he creates running lanes and plays through the whistle. He works up to the 2nd level blocks, washes the d-line down, and gets hands-on quickly. Mr. Indestad picks up the blitz in pass pro where he holds his own one one one and forces the outside rush.
OL Josh Heery 22’ Grayslake North Twitter
Mr. Heery is from Grayslake North, he’s quick off the ball and creates running lanes. He works up to the 2nd level blocks, blocks in open space, and holds his own one-on-one in pass pro. Mr. Heery keeps his feet driving resulting in pancaking defenders, plays through the whistle, and gets after it showcasing his aggressive playstyle.
OL Sam Pryor Sam Pryor 6'1" | 270 lbs | OL Kaneland | 2021 IL 21’ Kaneland Twitter
Mr. Pryor is from Kaneland, he plays through the whistle and keeps his feet driving resulting in pancaking the defender. He gets to the 2nd level blocks, blocks in open space, and washes the d-line down. Mr. Pryor holds his own one-on-one in pass pro and gets after it showcasing his aggressive playstyle.
OL Jack Schnoor 22’ Prairie Ridge Twitter
Mr. Schnoor is from Prairie Ridge, he creates running lanes when pulling and keeps his feet driving resulting in pancaking the defender. He fires off of the ball, gets to the 2nd level blocks, and washes the d-line down. Mr. Schnoor has good use of hands at the point of attack and gets after it showcasing his aggressive playstyle.
Second Team
QB Colton Madura 22’ Crystal Lake Central Twitter
Mr. Madura is from Crystal Lake Central, he has a touch on the deep ball and can put zip on the ball. He makes level 1 2 & 3 throws, extends plays by finding the man downfield, and puts the ball in the receiver’s basket. Mr. Madura is mobile with his quick acceleration and this is where his elusiveness comes to light by making defenders miss. He steps up in the pocket to get the ball off under pressure, has good pocket footwork, and has playmaking abilities.
QB Kevin Conway Kevin Conway 6'2" | 200 lbs | QB Providence | 2021 IL 21’ Providence Catholic Twitter
Mr. Conway is from Providence Catholic, he has a touch on the deep ball and makes level 3 throws. He puts the ball in the receiver’s basket, can throw on the run, and can get the ball out quickly when running RPOs. Mr. Conway runs the read-option which is where his mobility comes to light. He has quick acceleration and makes defenders miss showcasing his elusiveness. Mr. Conway gets the ball off under pressure, extends plays where he finds the man downfield for the completion, and has good pocket footwork.
RB Corey Phillips Corey Phillips 5'8" | 165 lbs | RB Kaneland | 2022 State IL 22’ Kaneland Twitter
Mr. Phillips is from Kaneland, he’s an N/S runner that has quick acceleration to burst past the 2nd level of defenders. He reads blocks well, breaks arm tackles by keeping his feet driving, and plays through contact. Mr. Phillips can catch out of the backfield where once he secures the catch he plants his foot to turn upfield and is shifty. He is elusive by making defenders miss, has playmaking abilities, and gets it done in the ground as well as the air attack.
RB Kendrick Washington 22’ Shepard Twitter
Mr. Washington is from Shepard, he’s an N/S runner that breaks arm tackles by playing through contact and has quick acceleration to blow by the 2nd level of defenders. He can catch out of the backfield, reads blocks well, and fights for extra yards by keeping his feet driving. Mr. Washington sees cutback lanes with his vision, has good body control, and isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder. He has playmaking abilities, uses his jump cuts well, and gets it done for his offense.
WR Malik Elzy Malik Elzy 6'3" | 195 lbs | WR Simeon | 2023 State IL 23’ Simeon Twitter
Mr. Elzy is from Simeon, he’s a deep threat that is quick off of the line of scrimmage and is a good return man as well. He makes contested catches by high pointing the ball, makes the catch in traffic, and gets upfield after securing the catch. Mr. Elzy finds the soft spot in the defense, blocks downfield, and fights for extra yards by keeping his feet driving.
WR Izaiah Haslett 21’ Peoria Twitter
Mr. Haslett is from Peoria, he finds the soft spot in the defense and blocks downfield. He makes contested catches by high pointing the ball, is elusive by making defender miss, and runs jet sweeps showcasing his quick acceleration. Mr. Haslett not only gets it done on offense, he’s also a good return man having an impact on special teams as well.
WR Brock Jewson Brock Jewson 6'1" | 175 lbs | WR Crystal Lake South | 2021 IL 21’ Crystal Lake South Twitter
Mr. Jewson is from Crystal Lake South, he’s quick off of the line of scrimmage and makes contested catches by high pointing the ball. He has quick acceleration, finds the soft spot in the defense, and is a deep threat. Mr. Jewson gets upfield after securing the catch and runs crips routes showcasing his route running (not only that, he also runs a nasty double move).
WR Sam Gagne 22’ Kaneland Twitter
Mr. Gagne is from Kaneland, he breaks arm tackles by playing through contact and is quick off of the line of scrimmage. He makes contested catches, blocks downfield, and is elusive making the first defender miss. Mr. Gagne gets upfield after securing the catch, reads his blocks well, and has quick acceleration.
TE Max Ziebarth Max Ziebarth 6'5" | 230 lbs | TE Normal West | 2022 State IL 22’ Normal West Twitter
Mr. Ziebarth is from Normal West, he fights for extra yards by keeping his feet driving and makes contested catches. Once he secures the catch he plants his foot to turn upfield, he finds the soft spot in the defense, and blocks downfield. Mr. Ziebarth keeps his feet driving resulting in pancaking defenders, has quick acceleration and reads his blocks well.
TE Justin Morris Justin Morris 6'4" | 220 lbs | TE Vernon Hills | 2021 IL 21’ Vernon Hills Twitter
Mr. Morris is from Vernon Hills, he’s quick off of the line of scrimmage and creates running lanes. He breaks arm tackles by playing through contact, blocks in open space, and isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder. Mr. Morris gets upfield after securing the catch, has quick acceleration, and reads his blocks well.
OL Paris Patterson Paris Patterson 6'4" | 325 lbs | OL East St. Louis | 2023 State IL 23’ East St Louis Twitter
Mr. Patterson is from East St Louis, he keeps his feet driving resulting in pancaking the defender and creates running lanes when pulling. He holds his own one-on-one in pass pro, blocks in open space, and works up to the 2nd level blocks all while getting off of the ball quickly.
OL Melvin Priestly 22’ East St Louis Twitter
Mr. Priestly is from East St Louis, he fires off of the ball and plays through the whistle. He gets to 2nd level blocks, creates running lanes when pulling, and holds his own one-on-one in pass pro. Mr. Priestly keeps his feet driving resulting in pancaking defenders, washes the d-line down, and gets after it showcasing his aggressive playstyle.
OL Will Weaver Will Weaver 6'5" | 260 lbs | OL Dunlap | 2021 IL 21’ Dunlap
Mr. Weaver is from Dunlap, he keeps his feet driving resulting in pancaking defenders and gets hands-on quickly. He washes the d-line down, holds his own one-on-one in pass pro, and gets to 2nd level blocks getting after it in both offensive attacks.
OL Nate Compere 23’ Crystal Lake South Twitter
Mr. Compere is from Crystal Lake South, he keeps his feet driving resulting in pancaking defenders and plays through the whistle. He blocks in open space, gets to 2nd level blocks, and holds his own one-on-one in pass pro.
Honorable Mention
QB Austin Layette 22’ Deerfield Twitter
QB Justin Kowalak Justin Kowalak 6'0" | 180 lbs | QB Crystal Lake South | 2022 State IL 22’ Crystal Lake South Twitter
QB Leo Rugai 21’ St Ignatius Twitter
QB Jameson Sheehan Jameson Sheehan 6'4" | 195 lbs | QB Cary Grove | 2022 State IL 22’ Cary Grove Twitter
QB Richie Hoskins Richie Hoskins 6'1" | 180 lbs | ATH Lake Forest | 2021 IL 21’ Lake Forest Twitter
QB Eli Reese Eli Reese 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Rock Island | 2022 State IL 22’ Rock Island Twitter
QB Nick Bulgarelli 21’ Wauconda Twitter
QB Cameron Fulton 21’ Morgan Park Twitter
QB Chuckie Smith 21′ Crete Monee Twitter
RB Aaron Vaughn 22’ Providence Catholic Twitter
RB Marriyon Rogers 21’ Rock Island Twitter
RB Vince Bennett 22’ Wauconda
RB Jadon Wilson 22’ Richards Twitter
RB Devin Miles Devin Miles 5'11" | 175 lbs | ATH Danville | 2021 IL 21’ Danville Twitter
RB Wade Abrams 22’ Cary Grove Twitter
RB Albert Kunickis 22’ Lemont Twitter
RB Jahari Scott Jahari Scott 5'11" | 175 lbs | RB Lake Forest | 2022 State IL 22’ Lake Forest Twitter
RB Charles Joseph 22’ Crete Monee Twitter
WR Jaylen Brozovich Jaylen Brozovich 6'1" | 200 lbs | ATH Rock Island | 2021 IL 21’ Rock Isand Twitter
WR Jake Pieper Jake Pieper 5'8" | 170 lbs | WR Vernon Hills | 2022 State IL 22’ Vernon Hills Twitter
WR Gabriel Thomas 21’ Bremen Twitter
WR Lavor Lindsey 22′ Kenwood
TE Nick Hawkins Nick Hawkins 6'5" | 230 lbs | TE Lemont | 2023 State IL 23’ Lemont Twitter
OL Alex Hamrick 23’ Glenwood Twitter
There is an abundance of talented athletes in 6A Football throughout the state of Illinois. That being said, this is your 6A Football All-State Team Offensive Edition. I wish all of the seniors the best on their journey after they graduate high school. There’s still work left to do for the juniors and sophomores, and I’m excited to watch you all compete.
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