Meet the players who lead the way
The top offensive linemen in the area include Illinois’ second-ranked players in the senior and junior classes. There also are a pair of Public Leaguers and players committed to Big Ten, Southeastern Conference and Pac-12 schools.
1. Peter Skoronski, Maine South, Sr., center (6-4, 275 pounds)
Exceptionally strong and skilled, the second-ranked senior in Illinois is also No. 4 nationally at his position. The four-star prospect, who plays both ways for the Hawks, committed to Northwestern over Notre Dame, Stanford, Illinois and Iowa, among others.
2. David Davidkov, New Trier, Jr., tackle (6-6, 272)
Like Skoronski, Davidkov is a fourstar prospect ranked second overall among Illinois players in his class. The son of Bulgarian immigrants, he also was an elite rugby player but gave up that sport to focus on football. His 17 offers include LSU, Oregon, Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois.
3. Marcus Harper II, HomewoodFlossmoor, Sr., guard (6-4, 290)
A young senior who just turned 17 in June, Harper didn’t start playing tackle football until high school. He committed to Oregon and could play as a freshman. The Ducks are seniordominated on the line this season, and their offensive system is similar to H-F’s.
4. Kevo Wesley, Curie, Sr., tackle (6-5, 265)
The area’s only SEC commit in the Class of 2020 is headed to Vanderbilt. He had 29 offers, including eight from the Big Ten, two from the Big 12 and one from the Pac-12. Recruiters see a significant upside in Wesley, thanks to his length and quickness.
5. Dylan Barrett, St. Charles East, Sr., guard (6-5, 305)
It has been 20 years since the Saints had a Power Five recruit, but Barrett’s size and work ethic made him too good to overlook. He had a dozen offers and committed to Wisconsin over Illinois, Northwestern, Iowa and Missouri, among others.
6. John Williams, Bolingbrook, Sr., tackle (6-5, 310)
Cincinnati has targeted the southwest suburbs for its offensive-line recruiting and came away with a pair of three-star commitments. Williams also had a Power Five offer from Kansas State.
7. Jake Renfro, Providence, Sr., center (6-3, 300)
Renfro is following in the footsteps of his dad, Rick, an offensive lineman for Illinois’ 1984 Rose Bowl team. The Cincinnati recruit had 21 offers, including four from the Big Ten. He’s a standout in the classroom, too, as evidenced by his four Ivy League offers.
8. Cameron James, Simeon, Jr., tackle (6-8, 280)
The offensive line is a strong point for the Wolverines, and James might have the most upside of the group. He’s a three-star prospect ranked among the top 60 nationally at his position and figures to earn more offers as recruiters see more game film.
9. Pat Coogan, Marist, Jr., tackle (6-5, 275)
Few programs have had more consistently productive offenses than the RedHawks, and Coogan should help to keep that going. A top-65 player nationally at his position, he has offers from Illinois, Iowa State, Duke and Syracuse among the eight he has received.
10. Jalen Grant, Mount Carmel, Sr., guard (6-3, 297)
The Caravan averaged almost 30 points a game last season, and Grant played a big role in that output. The two-sport athlete was a Catholic League runner-up in wrestling and has 14 offers, including two from service academies (Army, Navy).