2027 Rankings: Offensive Position Groups Stock Report

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>***Use Code “ScottyB30” for 30% off your subscription***</em><br><br>How has the 2027 class in Illinois progressed or regressed since our previous rankings?&nbsp; We examine it after a busy spring and summer by looking at how we graded the positional groups in August 2025, January 2026, and how we look at it now on the offensive side of the ball!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quarterback</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>August 2025 – A+<br>January 2026 - A<br>July 2026 – A</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trend: Steady from January</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Really strong class at the QB position overall.&nbsp; Lost a little bit of juice with Trae Taylor transferring out of state.&nbsp; The rise of [player_tooltip player_id='1335265' first='Jake' last='Nawrot'] (Hersey – Kentucky) and [player_tooltip player_id='1570764' first='Jackie' last='Ryder'] (New Trier – Purdue) make up for some of that as both emerged as legit P4 QBs.&nbsp; Montini's star [player_tooltip player_id='611846' first='Israel' last='Abrams'] sets at the top overall in the class and the Miami (FL) commit is coming off a season winning Prep Redzone Player of the Year.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='342339' first='Jameson' last='Purcell'] rounds out the quartet of P4 quarterbacks at the top of the class.&nbsp; Add in G5 trio of [player_tooltip player_id='1598818' first='Michael' last='Vander Luitgaren'] (Batavia – Wyoming), [player_tooltip player_id='1598810' first='Reece' last='Shanklin'] (East St. Louis – East Tennessee State), and [player_tooltip player_id='1940899' first='Ben' last='Peterson'] (Geneva – Eastern Michigan).&nbsp; A few stock risers at the position include [player_tooltip player_id='2243980' first='Reed' last='Dangel'] (Carmel), [player_tooltip player_id='475585' first='Nate' last='Lang'] (IC Catholic), [player_tooltip player_id='2131381' first='Brady' last='Cloherty'] (Mt. Carmel), and [player_tooltip player_id='1187171' first='Nigel' last='Gooden'] (Cahokia).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Running Back</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>August 2025 – B+<br>January 2026 – B+<br>July 2026 – B</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trend: Slightly Down</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='788737' first='Myson' last='Johnson-Cook'] (East St. Louis – Auburn) is a superstar at the position being one of the premier backs in the country.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='707326' first='TJ' last='Lewis'] from Bolingbrook also emerged as a P4 back as he committed to Oklahoma State.&nbsp; The depth of the position isn't what we saw originally.&nbsp; At one point there were 13 backs in the top 76.&nbsp; Now there are only five with rankings that high in [player_tooltip player_id='1791819' first='Jeremiah' last='Stonewall'] (Crete Monee), [player_tooltip player_id='1604137' first='Ahmad' last='Coleman'] (East St. Louis), and [player_tooltip player_id='1791842' first='James' last='Bell'] (Simeon).&nbsp; Lindenwood landed a pair of back end top 100 prospects in [player_tooltip player_id='1335440' first='Nathan' last='Samuels'] and Brandon Johnson Jr out of the Chicago Catholic League.&nbsp; Another CCL back [player_tooltip player_id='1303748' first='Jameson' last='Davis'] of Brother Rice is headed to Army.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wide Receiver</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>August 2025 – B+<br>January 2026 – C+<br>July 2026 - B</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trend: Roller Coaster Back Up</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While the overall group has been a bit up and down the top guy has stayed the same as #3 overall prospect Quinton Burrell who is committed to Michigan remains at the top.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='1335411' first='Ronnie' last='Gomiller'] who is headed to Cincinnati has secured a rock solid spot as the #2 guy in the class.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='1598846' first='Bennett' last='Konkey'] (Geneva – Illinois) and [player_tooltip player_id='2244121' first='Daniel' last='Sago'] (Montini) had major jumps in the latest rankings update.&nbsp; Sago along with [player_tooltip player_id='1274195' first='Damacio' last='Ortegon'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2169242' first='Donovan' last='Evans'] are a standout trio from Montini.&nbsp; A few of our favorite sleepers are [player_tooltip player_id='1196115' first='Lucas' last='Strang'] (Brother Rice), [player_tooltip player_id='1120450' first='Darin' last='Ashiru'] (Batavia), [player_tooltip player_id='1119247' first='Ryan' last='Franze'] (Johnsburg), and [player_tooltip player_id='1163337' first='Kaden' last='Wedig'] (St. Jospeh Ogden).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tight End</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>August 2025 – B-<br>January 2026 - B<br>July 2026 – B+</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trend: Steadily Moving North</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The tight end spot definitely helped itself with the emergence and rise of a trio of committed prospects in [player_tooltip player_id='2104990' first='Charlie' last='Fowler'] (Loyola – Boston College), [player_tooltip player_id='1866226' first='Owen' last='Matela'] (Lyons – Miami OH), and [player_tooltip player_id='2105166' first='Thomas' last='Prescott'] (Batavia – Wyoming) during the spring.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='2105165' first='Reid' last='Brown'] from Olney is another player it wouldn't shock us to see at a high FCS or G5 program.&nbsp; The overall depth definitely grew as well with bumps for Wyatt Christiansen, Luke Sickmeier, and [player_tooltip player_id='1345226' first='Nate' last='Roberts'].&nbsp; At the top Texas commit [player_tooltip player_id='1628153' first='Brock' last='Williams'] from Libertyville is the clear #1 prospect and gives the group some star power.&nbsp; The #2 TE is Northwestern bound [player_tooltip player_id='1748003' first='Brady' last='Johnson'] from Glenbard West.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Offensive Line</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>August 2025 – A-<br>January 2026 – A-<br>July 2026 - A</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trend: Bump to Solid A</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The state of Illinois continues to produce high level offensive lineman year in and year out.&nbsp; There are 15 offensive lineman in the top 75 overall who either are or will be committed to P4 or G5 programs.&nbsp; A lot of them are headed to the Big 10 in [player_tooltip player_id='1329014' first='Cameron' last='Wagner'] (St. Joseph Ogden – Oregon), [player_tooltip player_id='1598833' first='Mason' last='Halliman'] (Lincoln Way East – Illinois), [player_tooltip player_id='2104952' first='Soren' last='Fifer'] (Morton – Illinois), [player_tooltip player_id='2104955' first='Chase' last='Clark'] (Mt. Carmel – Purdue), [player_tooltip player_id='472668' first='Josiah' last='Wallace'] (Glenbard West – Northwestern), [player_tooltip player_id='2134324' first='Dylan' last='Mota'] (St. Patrick – Minnesota), and [player_tooltip player_id='1522262' first='Gavin' last='Ericson'] (Montini – Illinois).&nbsp; The SEC landed a pair in [player_tooltip player_id='1335278' first='Luke' last='Injaychock'] (Nazareth Academy – Mizzou) and [player_tooltip player_id='2104957' first='Corey' last='Laga'] (Lemont – Vanderbilt).&nbsp; Strong group of 5 class headlined by [player_tooltip player_id='901504' first='Carlos' last='Rios'] (Brother Rice – San Diego State), Cornelius Moore Jr. (King - Florida Atlantic), [player_tooltip player_id='1335452' first='Ethan' last='Posey'] (Brother Rice - Miami OH), and [player_tooltip player_id='1334139' first='Angeles' last='Coleman'] (Sterling - Eastern Michigan).&nbsp; Two of the most underrated prospects in the class are Morris offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1344896' first='Brogan' last='Kjellesvik'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2104970' first='Tyler' last='Engstler'] from DGN.&nbsp; Favorite sleepers include [player_tooltip player_id='1335459' first='Trey' last='Foster'] (Carmel), [player_tooltip player_id='1193268' first='Frank' last='Mcmillen'] (Wheaton St. Francis), [player_tooltip player_id='1626297' first='Will' last='Rosenow'] (Sycamore), [player_tooltip player_id='1624829' first='Maxwell' last='Schueneman'] (Neuqua Valley), [player_tooltip player_id='2105039' first='Shannon' last='Green'] (Kenwood), [player_tooltip player_id='1570788' first='Micah' last='Welch'] (Johnsburg), [player_tooltip player_id='1734834' first='Evan' last='Phillips'] (Sacred Heart Griffin), and Isaac Henderson (Carmel).<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->