The 6’1″ 200 lbs freshman played both ways in the trenches for the Victor J Andrew HS freshman team. In today’s article I want to focus on his play at DL. There are solid traits starting to show through the freshman’s highlights. The first is his first step burst. Judah gets out of his stance very quickly.That burst pairs with his ovearll acceleration leading to his ability to fly through gaps before the OL can get their hands on him. Van Engen also has the range to be able to chase down the QB or ball carriers in the backfield. I look forward to watching Judah’s growth and development over the next three years.

6’1, 200 lb. Victor J. Andrew High School lineman Judah Van Engen Judah Van Engen 6'2" | 220 lbs | OL Andrew | 2026 State IL  is a highly-ranked thrower in the state of Illinois’ track & field scene and showed off that congruent strength on the gridiron last fall, especially as a defensive lineman. Van Engen laid some crushing hits last fall and was a powerful force against non-varsity competition who made sure opponents felt him through four quarters of action. As a defensive lineman, his get-off gave opponents a ton of trouble, and he’s also got a good rip to work through contact and can close quickly once he’s past the LOS. Van Engen also shows a strong punch as an offensive lineman and can successfully find work in space and at the second level of the defense. DL is where he really shines though, and his speed from the interior made for some good reps as a freshman and a player the opposition must account for, especially in the run game. His future is bright as a defensive lineman and thrower.