PrepRedzoneIL 2026 Rankings Coverage: QB, RB, OL Breakdown
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Only two PRzIL 2026 features left before we move onto the ’25s! We’ve broken down the Top 20, the watchlist, and the DBs, DL, and ATHs that comprise the rankings and the Top-60 Big Board, and to round things off…
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Continue ReadingOnly two PRzIL 2026 features left before we move onto the ’25s! We’ve broken down the Top 20, the watchlist, and the DBs, DL, and ATHs that comprise the rankings and the Top-60 Big Board, and to round things off we’re bouncing over to the offensive side of the ball. With a plethora of wide receivers littering the rankings big board, we’re saving the pass catchers for last and will give our lovely subscribers their offensive fix with a detailed breakdown of the quarterbacks, running backs, and offensive linemen who made our introductory rankings from the talent-ridden 2026 class of Illinois prospects. PRzIL is very excited about the future of these young bucks, and with so much size, skill, and playmaking ability coursing through these 60+ standout freshmen, you’re doing yourself a favor by getting on the hype train early and familiarizing yourself with these names before they skyrocket into the D1 stratosphere. As a quick note, we covered the Top 20 extensively in that previously mentioned introductory feature, so we’re kicking things off with the #25 ranked overall standout and going from there. Keep up the great work, youngins! There’s a bright future ahead of these 2026s.
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The Hinsdale Central freshman gunslinger boasts a broad and impressive resume going into his sophomore season of high school, having finished the season with three starts against varsity opponents, two games of which game against ranked opponents of then #4 ranked York and then later against a loaded Glenbard West squad. The third game was against Proviso West, which Contreras led to a 46-6 win. The 5’11, 175 lber. also has made some waves this offseason running with Midwest Boom’s 15U squad, but interestingly as a WR and Safety, so it’s safe to say the kid is athletic and could possibly project to several different positions at the college level in a few years. As a freshman QB however, Contreras displayed exciting maneuverability and scrambling prowess around the pocket, velocity, accuracy, and touch on his shorter & intermediate passes, and dangerous moves as a ball carrier when he tucks and runs. There’s noticeable athleticism and arm talent in his growing 5’11, 175 lb. frame, and with varsity experience and effectiveness already under his belt, the future is very bright for the Red Devil 2026er.
Highlights
Already possessing a great frame, Homewood-Flossmoor offensive tackle Kellen Gamble Kellen Gamble 6’5″ | 250 lbs | OL Homewood-Flossmoor | 2026 State IL measures in at 6’5, 250 lbs. with room to grow, fill out, and add a ton more good weight these next three years of high school action. As a JV OT last fall with the Vikings, Gamble was especially impressive when moving and blocking in space, and showed that he was able to stay controlled to line up and take out smaller/quicker defenders like a lineman 50 pounds lighter. He’s got some pop at the point of attack, shows off lateral agility that can react to quicker defensive linemen around the LOS, and is tough to disengage from and can adjust to defensive linemen’s counters and efforts to shed and detach when he gets hands-on and starts to run his feet. Gamble is a controlled and balanced athlete for his size and age and follows in the footsteps of some extremely accomplished Vikings OL before him.
Clocking in at #38 overall and as the #4 ranked quarterback in the inaugural 2026 PRzIL rankings, St. Charles North freshman gunslinger Matthew Plumb Matthew Plumb 6’2″ | 190 lbs | QB St. Charles North | 2026 State IL brings a solid 6’2, 190 lb. frame to the table, as well as a wrestling background that saw him qualify for freshman/sophomore state this past March. I like that combo, and it’s particularly rare at the QB position, and compared to his peers he’s received a ton of offseason camp invites from the likes of Bowling Green State, Central Michigan, Montana State, Cincinnati, UPenn, Miami (OH), and Furman, so college programs want to see this kid in-person and Plumb is set to be a busy traveler this summer. The younger brother of 2025 SCN QB Ethan Plumb Ethan Plumb 6’3″ | 205 lbs | QB St Charles North | 2025 State IL , who holds offers from Miami (OH), Iowa State, and Purdue, Matthew has a big arm that can sling the ball downfield with the flick of his wrist and whip the ball back across his body with ease, and I love his touch on downfield passes as well as the velocity he can generate on shorter/intermediate passes. Plumb looks accurate, able to read the field well and get the ball out of his hand quickly, and has a lean frame at 190 lbs. that is sure to benefit and blow up with a few more years in a high school S&C program. The Plumb boys can sling it.
The solidified RB1 in the 2026 rankings, some other ranked athletes may project to the RB position in college, but none are looking as outright as Bloomington’s Kyveon Chestnut Kyveon Chestnut 5’8″ | 150 lbs | RB Bloomington | 2026 State IL . The 5’8 ball carrier was a varsity contributor in 2022, and the Purple Raiders freshman was the second leading rusher on the varsity squad (according to Maxpreps), while also manning a LB position, but his RB highlights remain supreme in our estimation. Chestnut is filled with burst, quick feet, vision, and an impressive amount of physicality from the RB position for his size/age, and is more than willing to be the hammer as opposed to the nail at the point of attack. He’s capable of dragging dog piles for extra yardage and earning the tough yards to keep his offense churning, and as a LB he brings that same aggression and is a strong supporter in the run game. An offseason in the Bloomington weight room is only going to help his already promising skillset and I can’t wait to see how he’s evolved as a sophomore. The RB class of 2026s is going to be an especially interesting position group to keep an eye on going forward.
Yet another Wheaton St. Francis freshman to make our introductory 2026 PRzIL Big Board, 6’1, 190 lb gunslinger Brady Palmer Brady Palmer 6’2″ | 200 lbs | QB Wheaton St. Francis | 2026 State IL was named an Adidas Freshman All-American and runs with the acclaimed Midwest Boom 7v7 national team in the offseason while holding a 4.9 GPA. The freshman also earned MVP honors at December’s PRzIL Stock-Up Showcase and brings a long list of accomplishments into his sophomore season after helping the Spartans freshman squad to an undefeated season in 2022. Good size, solid arm strength on his shorter/intermediate throws, and elusive around the pocket, Palmer can extend plays and hurt defenses with his legs if he doesn’t like what he sees downfield. Also shows off solid anticipation and does a good job of reading the field quickly and not forcing the ball into tight coverage or risky situations. He’ll look to add to that long list of accolades as a sophomore and into his upperclassman campaign with St. Francis.
Highlights
Bradley Bourbonnais is well represented on the initial 2026 rankings introduction and sees their freshman signal-caller Ellis Johnson clocked in at #56 overall and as the #6 ranked QB at the time the rankings went live a little more than a week ago. Johnson was impressive in the non-varsity ranks for the Boilermakers and showed he could stretch the field vertically, accurately complete throws on the run, and maneuver the pocket well with efficient footwork. Johnson can generate some serious velocity after quickly setting his feet while on the move, and he’s a good athlete at the position who is confident placing the ball into tight coverage.
Highlights
With good size for a freshman at 6’2, 160+ pounds, Cary-Grove’s Shane Coyle Shane Coyle 6’3″ | 175 lbs | QB Carl Sandburg | 2026 State IL is another impressive dual-threat QB who tore it up at the non-varsity level for the Trojans who excelled in the triple-option attack of the 2021 6A state champions. Quick decision-making, speed as a ball carrier, and the toughness to hang in the pocket and complete throws through contact, Coyle can hurt opposing defenses with both his arm and his legs and is a great match for Cary-Grove’s offense now and going forward.
Highlights
St. Charles is looking like a promising recruiting ground for the 2026 class, and St. Charles East 5’6, 160 lb. tailback Xander Salazar brings a ton of juice and production to the 2026 PRzIL Big Board as our #58 overall and #2 ranked RB in the recently published inaugural rankings. There’s lots to be excited about in this early crop of ’26 RBs, and although all of them are in need of a growth spurt and some added muscle, their production, prowess in the open field, and general speed/elusiveness make for fun Hudl watches and spell out promising skillsets for the varsity levels of Illinois prep football. Salazar falls very much into these categories, and his freshman campaign resulted in him posting 1,284 rushing yards at a 7.46 YPC average and 21 touchdowns. The freshman tape shows off a ball carrier with homerun speed, patience, contact balance and quick cuts in 1-on-1 situations vs. tacklers in the open field, and some solid reps of him laying wood as a blocker in both pass pro and when lead blocking. I also like his reps as a DB, where he gets out of his breaks with pace and intuitively undercuts routes to play the ball. Salazar is also a three-sport standout who holds a 4.85 GPA!
Highlights
The Park Ridge and Maine South product is already a PRZ Showcase standout and veteran and had a great season on the non-varsity ranks for the Hawks offense. He posted 1,530 total yards and 18 TDs while displaying game-changing speed that popped off a ton of big runs with opponents barely even able to lay a hand on him, much less tackle him. If you give him a shred of daylight it’s game over, and when you combine it with his vision, balance, and burst out of his cuts, you have a RB who is just as liable to cut back across the grain as he is to take the rock up the gut or to the oppositions sideline for six. Kokosioulis is a fluid and athletic runner who is fun to watch, and I believe his game should translate to the varsity level a lot easier than his peers. Niko Kokosioulis is a playmaker, simple as that.
Highlights
The final Brother Rice Crusader to have worked himself onto the introductory 2026 PRzIL rankings Big Board, 6’1, 310 lb. QwaMaine Spivery QwaMaine Spivery 6’2″ | 310 lbs | OL Brother Rice | 2026 State IL brings a multi-sport background to the table and was a bruising OG and DT last fall on the non-varsity ranks of the Crusader’s football team. He can overwhelm opponents with his sheer size and strength at the point of attack, and is a crushing finisher who does a good job of staying upright and balanced when engaged with a defender. Good hand placement and leg drive, solid motor, and a good get off for a big boy who excels in the physical aspect of the game and is built to beat defenders up over the course of four quarters. Spivery still has some work to do in the weight room, but the raw combo of his size and athleticism for his age sets a very promising foundation that the excellent staff at Brother Rice is going to develop and get the best out of. We can’t wait to see this dude in a couple of years.