PrepRedzoneIL 2027 Rankings Drop: OL and TE Breakdown

The final PrepredzoneIL 2027 positional breakdown is here, and we saved the best for last. This 2027 Land of Lincoln OL group is a talented, high-upside, and physically impressive bunch, and I have no issue saying that all nine of the currently ranked offensive linemen are FBS prospects, with the top-end looking worthy of P4 status sooner rather than later. In fact, the current Ol1 already is a P4 offeree. The TEs still have some runway to develop and add names, as they are currently one-strong at this point in time, but I could have moved [player_tooltip player_id='1304474' first='Tommy' last='Riordan'] to TE if needed and we still need time for these big-bodied WRs and still-growing skill players to accept their rightful place on the LOS and at the TE spot. Get to know the 9 OL and 1 TE that make up the 2027 PrepRedzoneIL rankings big board below!   --   Offensive Line    One of the biggest winners of the summer camp circuit in the Midwest 2027 ranks, small towner [player_tooltip player_id='1329014' first='Cameron' last='Wagner'] has a massive amount of positives going for him so early in his prep football career and recruitment. The 6'6, 300 lber. possesses nearly elite size and is still growing, and he's also got one of my favorite boxes checked and is a standout multi-sport athlete who competes in wrestling and track & field, arguably two of the best sports for young lineman to participate in, although I'll argue against basketball either. It seems that about everyone who recruits Illinois also knew that Wagner was OL1 and potentially special, as he's been one of the busiest 2027s on the recruiting trail despite only having one year of high school under his belt. Wagner earned D1 offer #1 from P4 Louisville back on April 1st, which followed an unofficial visit to The 'Ville, and he also visited Iowa and Illinois for spring practices and Purdue for their spring game. This set up a fruitful summer camp circuit, wherein Wagner earned an FBS offer from Miami of Ohio, then balled out in Champaign at the Fighting Illini's prospect camp, earning B1G offer #1 from Bret Bielema himself. Wagner also camped at Tennessee and visited Michigan for an unofficial on their recent "BBQ at the Big House" recruiting event.   Wagner also squats 405x5 to show off some legit flexibility and lower body strength, something I'm sure college coaches have noticed, and his freshman tape displays a RT who is a fluid and balanced puller and mover who looks like he can bend and play with consistent and low pad level for a 6'6 underclassman. Wagner also displays good leg drive post contact, solid strength, and the ability to set his anchor and absorb power at the point of attack in pass rush situations. The balance and overall mobility are impressive to say the least, and I'm assuming the overall athleticism and potential drew the eye of OL coach Bart Miller & Co. in Champaign. Can't wait to see what the 6'6, 300 lb. athlete looks and plays like after an offseason of work under his belt, Wagner will be one of the most popular Illinois 2027 and Midwest OL prospects when it's all said and done.     A big-time 2027 OL prospect, both in the state of Illinois and potentially in the Midwest, Morris High School's 6'4, 255 lb. First Team All-Conference left tackle [player_tooltip player_id='1344896' first='Brogan' last='Kjellesvik'] was a full-time varsity starter in 2023 as a freshman, helping Morris to an 11-1 record and proving himself more than worthy and physically ready to succeed against Illinois 5A varsity competition. I can't lie, his freshman tape is a bit of a mess. No order, very long, and doesn't fully articulate and spotlight the kind of player Kjellesvik is, but it's still obvious that the 260 lber. is not your average freshman in the strength department. Crushing at the point of attack and excels at the contact point, Kjellesvik can finish DL on simple down blocks, plays whistle to whistle, and is far above the curve in the technique and mobility departments. His body control, balance, and overall athleticism also are big factors as to why Kjellesvik was such a successful starter in 2023 as a freshman, something only one other kid on this list can claim (Wagner), but my big takeaway from the tape is that Kjellesvik wants to drive you into the turf and enforce his will physically through four quarters of action. PRzIL is very invested and very excited to see how the Morris 2027 mauler continues to develop. Shouldn't be long before he starts earning some scholarship $.     The second-to-last varsity contributor on this talented 2027 PRzIL OL rankings group, Sterling's 6'5, 260 lber. [player_tooltip player_id='1334139' first='Angeles' last='Coleman'] is still a bit of a mystery and doesn't have a lot of information and data points available, but the RT shows some promising ability in both run and pass blocking and flashed physical dominance against varsity defensive lineman as a 14-year-old. The rising sophomore comfortable and effective in pass pro and brings the fight to the rusher. Pass pro isn't passive, and Coleman is a nice example of that. He displays good footwork and is laterally agile when needed, is a lean, long, reported 260 pounds and places with balance and aggression. I like how hard he is to disengage from when he gets his hands on a DL. Inside hands, drives to finish, and fights to stay engaged, and he demonstrates good initial pop and is a strong freshman with no issues playing with physicality. Gotta like the varsity exposure in his first year of high school, as well as the size and technical prowess with so much room and time to develop. Should be a constant presence in the upper echelons of the 2027 PrepRedzoneIL rankings.     A Chicago Catholic League skyscraper, Mount Carmel is represented in yet another position group on the rankings big board in their 6'7, 280 lb. rising sophomore OT [player_tooltip player_id='472668' first='Josiah' last='Wallace']. It's going to be hard to knock this kid out of the Top 20, and he's got a great chance to continue climbing, as it's hard to bet against elite size, top-tier competition - both in-program and competition-wise - a basketball background, and physicality. Wallace earned a summer camp invite from the Wisconsin Badgers from his freshman tape and offseason hype, and the RT is a crushing run blocker with consistent hand placement, a great first step off the snap, and noticeable leg drive post-contact. The 6'7 right tackle shows some quickness and start/stop ability when he works and climbs to the second level, with success I should add, and I really like the balance for a kid so big and so young. Can't say forsure yet, but Wallace looks like a good athlete, and if that holds true, he'll have no problem earning FBS and P4 offers. I'm interested to see when he'll break into the varsity lineup of one of the top teams in Illinois.     Rounding out the current Top 5 of the Illinois 2027 OL class, DePaul Prep OT [player_tooltip player_id='901504' first='Carlos' last='Rios'] is a hulking 6'5, 290 lb. 15-year-old who has steadily been gaining steam on the state's recruiting scene since his freshman year concluded. Rios had a decorated youth football career that got the hype train leaving the station early, and he seems to be doing a good job of living up to the lofty expectations so far. Rios was selected to the annual Tom Lemming photoshoot, which features the best high school football players in Illinois, as well as the nation, and impressed Lemming with the in-person eye test and overall athleticism.   Rios, against non-varsity competition, was a RT who looked bendy in his pass set and shows good technique in pass pro. He can gain depth, stays square, uses good footwork and keeps his feet active, and can set his base and absorb and redistribute contact at the top of the arc. Rios displays noticeable strength when he locks his arms out and fully extends, is strong at the contact point and can overpower opponents in run blocking situations, and shows some mobility and start/stop ability, as he can combo and climb to the second level effectively. Rios also has a couple reps of him playing DT, where he splits a double team like it's reps on air and completely envelops the QB before he can even react. Shows a bit of twitch and lateral agility in a different rep as well. Tons to like so early in his budding prep career, but he's still gotta prove it against varsity competition, which I'm expecting to see in 2024.     Lockport's put out some massive lineman and TEs the past few cycles, and they have a seriously large 15 y/o in 2027 6'5, 290 lb. OT [player_tooltip player_id='1335452' first='Ethan' last='Posey']. The big man already benches 315 lbs., and he had a good showing during the summer camp circuit, asserting himself during 1v1 pass-pro reps and board drills and showing off good balance, heavy hands, active feet, and will finish defenders when he gets the chance. From that same summer film, Posey looks like he carries his 290 well, and shows massive mits and feet that hopefully indicate that he is still growing. Not a ton of tape from Posey's freshman year, but holy cow, the reps he does have leave you wanting more and really get the recruiting side of you fired up. If the in-person mobility matches some of his reps from 2023, Posey owns top-end movement skills and comfortability in space for a kid of his size and age. The ability to climb to the second level, pull, and lead block downfield, and make it look easy, spells out some serious athleticism and upside. He's an impressive puller that can get out of his stance and change direction in space easily and effectively for his size, and is a crushing finisher with heavy hands. Posey also looks smooth in comfortable in his pass set and can gain depth when needed, and the balance and body control for his size and age make him very intriguing and an obvious Top 20 prospect in the state at this point in time. After the 2027 rankings live, Posey messaged me that he was motivated to show us that he's the real OL1 and is looking to take these rankings by storm. I love the drive and the competitiveness in the young man, and combined with his size and ability to physically dominate, Posey is coming into 2024 with something to prove. I'd hate to be a DL lined up across from him this fall.     An obvious contender for a rankings bump when the next update comes around, Dwight High School's 2027 lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1335340' first='Graham' last='Meister'] would have eye-catching track & field and strength metrics if he was a senior, much less a rising sophomore. The 6'2, 250 lber. was the Illinois 1A state champ in the shot put with a 55'9.5", and in April posted a PR of 56'10.25" to break a near 40-year school record in the shot put and set a new sectional record as well. He also went 140'10" in the discus this past outdoor season, and qualified in the discus throwing 42.1m. Even crazier, Meister threw a 55'7" shot put as an 8th grader, the #1 throw by a middle schooler in the U.S. at that time in the spring of 2023. That is some real-deal power, foot speed, and functional athleticism, folks, and to have numbers that high at such a young age make him a legit two-sport prospect with obvious FBS potential. Meister also can squat 425 lbs., clean 275 lbs., and bench 325 pounds. This kid is strong!   Not a ton of tape, but in Meister's freshman campaign on varsity, the RT displayed that strength when he locks out and extends his arms, sending opponents off-balance and towards the grass, and he's a good athlete who is strong, aggressive, and possesses a solid motor. Meister has a great rep around 28 seconds into his tape where Meister gets 10-15 yards downfield in preparation for a trick play, tracking down an isolated CB with great foot speed, balance, and lateral agility that looked like he was shuffling in a basketball defensive drill. The comfortability and effectiveness in space is an impressive and hard-to-find trait in young OL and can lead to some serious scholarship dough as a college prospect. I think he's going to take a serious step forward in 2024 and bump that recruiting stock even higher.     A must-know name in the Land of Lincoln's 2027 class, especially amongst the OL group, 6'1, 255 lb. OC/DT [player_tooltip player_id='1193268' first='Frank' last='Mcmillen'] is a tank of a rising sophomore lineman and had a good freshman campaign at the talent-factory that is St. Francis High School.A coaches kid coming from an athletic family, Mcmillen displays tons of pop at the contact point and laid some brutal, crushing hits in seemingly easy fashion in 2023 against non-varsity competition. He sports a wide, powerful frame, played LT along with his OC and DT positions, and shows great hand usage and can shuck DL flat onto their face if they lean, lunge, or get off-balance. The contact point is where Mcmillen makes his money, and he naturally understands leverage and how to take advantage of opponents when they out of position. Defensively, the 255 lber. can shed blocks and tackle in space as a DT, as well as make tackles through contact and hold his gap when needed, and he has a good motor between the whistles. We'll see how Mother Nature plays a role in his growth and development, but the ability to potentially project to either side of the ball is a plus, as I could see Mcmillen being a nasty DT at the next level. Lots of runway left here, though. Don't be surprised if the St. Francis High School soon-to-be sophomore rises up the rankings in time.     A heckuva way to round out the 2027 Illinois OL group, the Corsairs have an extremely promising offense in 2024 that begins up front with their OL. Despite his age, 2027 offensive center [player_tooltip player_id='1335459' first='Trey' last='Foster'] is play a big role in Carmel Catholic's potential success, and brings a lot to the table at 6'3, 240 lbs. and with room to fill in. Foster is a member of the 1,000 pound club as a freshman and earned a handful of camp and unofficial visit invites from schools from the the FCS to P4 levels. Foster allowed zero sacks in 2023 as a freshman and is a physical, technically-sound blocker and iOL prospect who looks like he's more ready-made for varsity action than your typical freshman OC. He displays a good hand placement and leg drive combination, always works to finish, and overall looks like he's hard to disengage from for opposing DL and LBs. Foster is also laterally agile and able to zone block and move his feet in pass protection from the iOL. I'm excited to see how the offseason has treated one of the 2027 classes top centers.    Tight End    The lack of TE depth in the 2027 right now doesn't mean that Providence Catholic's TE [player_tooltip player_id='1268284' first='Hunter' last='Long'] isn't deserving of the current TE1 status. Long has a great multi-sport resume and earned three varsity letters as a freshman, coming from football, hockey, and track & field. Throwing shot put and discus, Long went 102-01 in the discus and 38-11.50 in the shot put, and Long can also long snap on special teams. He was used as a RB, TE, and DE in 2023, and the utility are another big bonus on his budding athletic resume. Long can finish catches through contact, break tackles with his impressive contact balance and strong lower body, and is confident and capable with the ball in-hand. He's a tough kid who will go over the middle and reel in receptions through traffic, owns a big stiff-arm, and is a physical blocker. As a DE, the 210 lber. also posted a sack and forced a fumble on a big goal line stick in impressive fashion as well.

The final PrepredzoneIL 2027 positional breakdown is here, and we saved the best for last. This 2027 Land of Lincoln OL group is a talented, high-upside, and physically impressive bunch, and I have no issue saying that all nine of the currently ranked offensive linemen are FBS prospects, with the top-end looking worthy of P4 status sooner rather than later. In fact, the current Ol1 already is a P4 offeree. The TEs still have some runway to develop and add names, as they are currently one-strong at this point in time, but I could have moved Tommy Riordan Tommy Riordan 6'4" | 210 lbs | DL Hinsdale Central | 2027 State IL to TE if needed and we still need time for these big-bodied WRs and still-growing skill players to accept their rightful place on the LOS and at the TE spot. Get to know the 9 OL and 1 TE that make up the 2027 PrepRedzoneIL rankings big board below!