2026 Recruiting Notebook: Offense

As we are nearing toward the end of the regular season Prep Redzone Illinois caught up with a ton of the best junior prospects in the state to get the latest on their recruitments.  That includes here in 2026 Recruiting Notebook: Offense!   ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1399916' first='Davon' last='Grant'] (Dekalb)   Overall Ranking: #3 Position Ranking: #2   Grant is an absolutely freak show athlete!  He is like Calvin Johnson on offense and Sean Taylor on defense!  Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan State are heavily involved.  He says that Illinois is really making him feel like a major priority.  Illinois and Minnesota have both offered and are in consistent communication with him.  He visited Illinois and is looking to set up some other trips like Iowa State, Cincinnati, and Michigan Stte.   OL [player_tooltip player_id='1399932' first='Tony' last='Balanganayi'] (Palatine)   Overall Ranking: #9 Position Ranking: #1   Top ranked offensive lineman showed why in our recent eval of him as he was excellent in pass pro and in the run game.  Schools making him a priority right now are Purdue, Illinois, Kansas, Iowa State, West Virginia, Nebraska, Western Michigan, and Mimi.  He has visited Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Purdue, Illinois, and Michigan State.  Plans on getting out to Nebraska and Iowa State.  Would like to make a commitment in the winter or spring.   OL [player_tooltip player_id='325063' first='Rico' last='Schrieber'] (Marist)   Overall Ranking: #12 Position Ranking: #3   Schrieber is one of the premier offensive lineman in the class.  He holds offers from Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa State.  He says he talks with Nebraska a lot.  Kansas, Iowa State, and Michigan State are in communication quite a bit as well.  Attended summer camps at Notre Dame and Michigan.  He would like to make a decision before his senior season.   [player_tooltip player_id='801991' first='Owen' last='Fors'] (Barrington)   Overall Ranking: #13 Position Ranking: #4   Fors is part of the stellar offensive line class of 2026 in Illinois.  He holds offers from Akron, Indiana, Illinois, Toledo, Miami (OH), Marshall, Western Michigan, Boston College, Northwestern, and Kansas.  He has been out to Illinois and Northwestern this fall for games.  Plans on visiting Iowa State.  Other schools he is talking with include Penn State, Notre Dame, Missouri, Kansas State, Vanderbilt, and Virginia.   QB/ATH [player_tooltip player_id='212315' first='Jalen' last='Carter'] (Wheaton St. Francis)   Overall Ranking: #24 Position Ranking: #4   Carter is an intriguing prospect that could be a QB at the next level, but also play a number of other positions.  We caught up with him and he said that North Dakota State is showing a lot of interest in him.  He has been on visits to Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa State, Cornell, and Northern Illinois.  Has trips to Miami (OH) on October 19 and North Dakota State on November 2.  Would like to decide before his senior season.   [player_tooltip player_id='801877' first='Lesroy' last='Tittle'] (Nazareth)   Overall Ranking: #25 Position Ranking: #1   Tittle is the top running back in the class, but could also be heavily recruited as a linebacker as well.  Schools involved include Illinois, Cincinnati, Dartmouth, Wisconsin, Western Michigan, Toledo, Nebraska, and Minnesota.  He holds offers from Illinois, Western Michigan, and Toledo.  Schools he has visited this fall include Illinois, Notre Dame, and Wisconsin.  He has a trip to Michigan October 26, Western Michigan November 6, Toledo November 12, and Cincinnati on November 30.   OL [player_tooltip player_id='401615' first='Kellen' last='Gamble'] (Homewood Flossmoor)   Overall Ranking: #30 Position Ranking: #8   Gamble is an impressive offensive lineman who tells us Toledo is really making him feel like a priority.  Holds and offer from Avila.  He has visited Illinois, Toledo, and Miami (OH).  Trip to Central Michigan on October 19.   WR Cornell Connely (Simeon)   Overall Ranking: #32 Position Ranking: #5   Connelly has been one of the hottest names in the state this season with his play for the Wolverines.  He holds an offer from Miami (OH) with interest from Western Michigan, Akron, Michigan State, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Kansas, Kent State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Old Dominion, and Georgetown.  Between the fall and summer he has been on the campuses of Miami (OH), Purdue, Western Michigan, Northwestern, Northern Illinois, Illinois, and Wisconsin.   OL [player_tooltip player_id='283927' first='Lamont' last='Miller'] (Mt. Carmel)   Overall Ranking: #33 Position Ranking: #9   The big time 6'4" offensive lineman has been in talks with Coastal Carolina a lot along with Iowa State, Northern Illinois, and Northern Iowa. He attended camps over the summer at Purdue and Michigan. Visited Northern Illinois for a game as well as Northern Iowa.   OL [player_tooltip player_id='1236185' first='Jalin' last='Strowder'] (Carmel)   Overall Ranking: #34 Position Ranking: #10   Strowder is a road grader at left guard with his massive frame and athleticism.  He is talking with Western Illinois, Dartmouth, Central Michigan, Mercer, and Miami (OH).  He has previously visited Central Michigan and has visits set to Mercer and Miami (OH) coming up.   WR [player_tooltip player_id='537214' first='Blaise' last='Lavista'] (Libertyville)   Overall Ranking: #36 Position Ranking: #7   Lavista tells us that the schools are he feels are talking to him the most at this stage are Wisconsin, Illinois, Marshall, Toledo, Akron, Iowa State, Virginia, and Minnesota.  Of those schools so far he has Marshall, Akron, and Toledo offers.  He has visited Illinois, Minnesota, Kentucky and Wisconsin this season.  Will be at Illinois for their game again soon as well.  Looking to visit Iowa State in November.  He would like to make a decision before his senior season or early in it.   WR Sheko Gjokaj Jr (St. Charles East)   Overall Ranking: #57 Position Ranking: #13   This St. Charles East wide out has had a big junior campaign and is primed to continue to move up the board.  Northwestern, Illinoi State, and North Dakota State are talking to him the most.  None have offered to date.  He has visited Illinois State over the summer for a camp.  Northwestern and North Dakota State visits are in the works.  Would like to decide before senior season.   Claude Mpouma (Phillips)   Overall Ranking: #65 Position Ranking: #13   We took a chance by putting Mpouma in the 2026 preseason rankings before he ever played a high school football game based on his size, athleticism, and tools we saw on the basketball court.  We were WAY too low as he is a possible top 10 player in the next update.  He holds offers from Illinois, Nebraska, Florida State, Michigan State, Miami, Minnesota, Boston College, Wisconsin, Miami (OH), Kent State, and Marshall.  He has visited Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

As we are nearing toward the end of the regular season Prep Redzone Illinois caught up with a ton of the best junior prospects in the state to get the latest on their recruitments. That includes here in 2026 Recruiting Notebook: Offense!