New: Top Underclassmen to Watch: IHSA State Finals Class 6A thru Class 8A
Just a quick listing and some breakdown of some of the top underclassmen prospects I saw on Friday and Saturday. Again I was on the TV broadcast and I was not in person so in some cases I have not seen the player yet. Heights and weights are those listed in the IHSA game program.
Camp Point Central
FB/LB Elijah Genenbacher 6-foot-1, 205 pounds 2025- Two way grinder who showed good overall balance, quick feet and power at both positions.
DL Kadin Niekamp 6-foot-0, 195 pounds 2025- An undersized pain in the butt and a kid who at times was just unblockable. Not sure where or how high of a level he can play in college...buit this kid is a player no question.
Wilmington Wildcats
RB/DB Kyle Farrell 5-foot-11, 184 pounds 2025- Very good vision, runs with power and was able to get the corner more often than not in this win. Intriguing kid for sure.
RB/DB Ryan Kettman 6-foot-1, 195 pounds 2026- A sophomore who played like a much older player here. Has good size and tools, plys with a high motor and very good overall instincts. Another name to watch for sure
LB Ryan Nelson 6-foot-1, 195 pounds 2025 Another kid with good size and tools.
Byron Tigers
RB/LB Caden Considine 6-foot-0, 205 pounds 2026- One of players who I felt really shined on the biggest stage. Considine is the son of former Byron.Iowa and NFL saftey Sean Considine (Now a Byron assistant coach). Considine plays like a senior, runs hard has very good speed, power, quickness and is just a slippery runner carrying the football. Considine also lays the wood, has impressive instincts at linebacker and again his game is exceptionally advanced. Still has a bit of physical development to go but wow lots to like here already.
OL Nolan Brass 6-foot-3, 300 pounds 2025- Good sixe here and a kid who's a locked down run blocker.
WR/DB Brayden Knoll 5-foot-8, 165 pounds 2025- Impressive two way player with speed and quickness on either side of the football. Will definitely watch more video on Knoll.
QB/ATH Andrew Talbert 5-foot-8, 160 pounds 2027 Just a freshman who ended up rushing for 3 TD's in impressive fashion. Talbert has really impressive speed and burst and while he's undersized for now....just his speed, quickness and athletic ability caught my attention no question.
St. Laurence Vikings
DE Jace Chamberlain 6-foot-1, 225 pounds 2025- Plays DE and plays the position well...has more of a look of a kid who will add more weight and strength and then move inside.
LB Jacob Bylina 6-foot-0, 225 pounds 2025- Just looked like a very solid linebacker to watch.
SS Ja'Sean Mays 6-foot-0, 215 pounds 2025- Good sized looks to have good instincts and was also always around the football.
Rochester Rockets
OL Jake Milliron 6-foot-3, 300 pounds 2025- Big kid still has room to grow/add more strength. Part of what I felt was a very good OL for the Rockets this season.
Nazareth Academy Road Runners
WR/DB Jaden Fauske 6-foot-1, 195 pounds 2025- Also a high level baseball prospect as well. Fauske plays hard noised football and has very good physical tools and has room to grow and improve...if indeed he goes football and not baseball. Regardless of the path...a very good athlete here.
WR Jake Crestone 6-foot-1 165 pounds 2026- Underclassmen who really played strong all season.One of a handful of really impressive 2026's for the Runners.
WR James Penley 5-foot-10, 170 pounds 2025- Has really great hands and runs impressive routes, Kid plays like his hair is on fire and is no question a big time play makers.
WR Trenton Walker 6-foot-2, 175 pounds 2026 - Will end up being a highly sought after name in Illinois and the Midwest in the 2026 class, Has length, good hands and is a high level athlete who will just get better and better.
DB Garrett Reese 6-foot-2, 172 pounds 2025- Again one of several impressive all around football players for Naz.
DL Nolan Daly 6-foot-3, 225 pounds 2025- Made some big plays in this game and was able to win reps agaisnt a very big and physical JCA O line.
LB/RB Lesroy Tittle 6-foot-2, 200 pounds 2026- yet another high level 2026 recruit here. Tittle plays really well at linebacker and also stepped up and became a factor at RB this season for Naz. Will continue to draw higher level college attention this winter an spring.
OLB/DE Gabe Kaminski 6-foot-3, 230 pounds 2025- Power 5 kid who might be one of the biggest impact defenders in Illinois. Kaminski was all over the field in this state title win. Again not sure where he will play in college...and all I know is he will play at the Power 5 level and more likely become a major impact player. Wow....just wow watching this kid knife thru traffic to make tackles. An intense player as well.
Joliet Catholic
OL Michael Lynch 6-foot-5, 290 pounds 2025 Big strong physical linemen and a name on the rise in my opinion.
OL Jake Jakovich 6-foot-2, 260 pounds 2025- Plays guard and has very good quickness and feet....also has above average power and strength and again will become a very good interior OL at the next level.
OL Cam Juricich 6-foot-5, 310 pounds 2025- Big kid with good length and punchwho is also another name that will draw more looks starting next week when the colleges are back in recruiting mode.
TE/OL Ryan Yurisich 6-foot-2, 240 pounds 2025- As the position indicated he's sort of a tweener but showes to be a versatile player and a locked on blocker in thre JCA run game.
LB Daniel Rouse 5-foot-11, 200 pounds 2025 An experienced varsity player who was just a tackling machine in 2023.
S Zak Beitler 6-foot-1, 190 pounds 2025- Has some length and tools.....has had some very good games over the past season and I'll dig a bity deeper into his season video for sure.
Next: Class 6A thru Class 8A Top Underclassmen. State Finals
Just a quick listing and some breakdown of some of the top underclassmen prospects I saw on Friday and Saturday. Again I was on the TV broadcast and I was not in person so in some cases I have not seen the player yet. Heights and weights are those listed in the IHSA game program.
Camp Point Central
FB/LB Elijah Genenbacher 6-foot-1, 205 pounds 2025- Two way grinder who showed good overall balance, quick feet and power at both positions.
DL Kadin Niekamp 6-foot-0, 195 pounds 2025- An undersized pain in the butt and a kid who at times was just unblockable. Not sure where or how high of a level he can play in college...buit this kid is a player no question.
Wilmington Wildcats
RB/DB Kyle Farrell 5-foot-11, 184 pounds 2025- Very good vision, runs with power and was able to get the corner more often than not in this win. Intriguing kid for sure.
RB/DB Ryan Kettman 6-foot-1, 195 pounds 2026- A sophomore who played like a much older player here. Has good size and tools, plys with a high motor and very good overall instincts. Another name to watch for sure
LB Ryan Nelson 6-foot-1, 195 pounds 2025 Another kid with good size and tools.
Byron Tigers
RB/LB Caden Considine 6-foot-0, 205 pounds 2026- One of players who I felt really shined on the biggest stage. Considine is the son of former Byron.Iowa and NFL saftey Sean Considine (Now a Byron assistant coach). Considine plays like a senior, runs hard has very good speed, power, quickness and is just a slippery runner carrying the football. Considine also lays the wood, has impressive instincts at linebacker and again his game is exceptionally advanced. Still has a bit of physical development to go but wow lots to like here already.
OL Nolan Brass 6-foot-3, 300 pounds 2025- Good sixe here and a kid who's a locked down run blocker.
WR/DB Brayden Knoll 5-foot-8, 165 pounds 2025- Impressive two way player with speed and quickness on either side of the football. Will definitely watch more video on Knoll.
QB/ATH Andrew Talbert 5-foot-8, 160 pounds 2027 Just a freshman who ended up rushing for 3 TD's in impressive fashion. Talbert has really impressive speed and burst and while he's undersized for now....just his speed, quickness and athletic ability caught my attention no question.
St. Laurence Vikings
DE Jace Chamberlain 6-foot-1, 225 pounds 2025- Plays DE and plays the position well...has more of a look of a kid who will add more weight and strength and then move inside.
LB Jacob Bylina 6-foot-0, 225 pounds 2025- Just looked like a very solid linebacker to watch.
SS Ja'Sean Mays 6-foot-0, 215 pounds 2025- Good sized looks to have good instincts and was also always around the football.
Rochester Rockets
OL Jake Milliron 6-foot-3, 300 pounds 2025- Big kid still has room to grow/add more strength. Part of what I felt was a very good OL for the Rockets this season.
Nazareth Academy Road Runners
WR/DB Jaden Fauske 6-foot-1, 195 pounds 2025- Also a high level baseball prospect as well. Fauske plays hard noised football and has very good physical tools and has room to grow and improve...if indeed he goes football and not baseball. Regardless of the path...a very good athlete here.
WR Jake Crestone 6-foot-1 165 pounds 2026- Underclassmen who really played strong all season.One of a handful of really impressive 2026's for the Runners.
WR James Penley 5-foot-10, 170 pounds 2025- Has really great hands and runs impressive routes, Kid plays like his hair is on fire and is no question a big time play makers.
WR Trenton Walker 6-foot-2, 175 pounds 2026 - Will end up being a highly sought after name in Illinois and the Midwest in the 2026 class, Has length, good hands and is a high level athlete who will just get better and better.
DB Garrett Reese 6-foot-2, 172 pounds 2025- Again one of several impressive all around football players for Naz.
DL Nolan Daly 6-foot-3, 225 pounds 2025- Made some big plays in this game and was able to win reps agaisnt a very big and physical JCA O line.
LB/RB Lesroy Tittle 6-foot-2, 200 pounds 2026- yet another high level 2026 recruit here. Tittle plays really well at linebacker and also stepped up and became a factor at RB this season for Naz. Will continue to draw higher level college attention this winter an spring.
OLB/DE Gabe Kaminski 6-foot-3, 230 pounds 2025- Power 5 kid who might be one of the biggest impact defenders in Illinois. Kaminski was all over the field in this state title win. Again not sure where he will play in college...and all I know is he will play at the Power 5 level and more likely become a major impact player. Wow....just wow watching this kid knife thru traffic to make tackles. An intense player as well.
Joliet Catholic
OL Michael Lynch 6-foot-5, 290 pounds 2025 Big strong physical linemen and a name on the rise in my opinion.
OL Jake Jakovich 6-foot-2, 260 pounds 2025- Plays guard and has very good quickness and feet....also has above average power and strength and again will become a very good interior OL at the next level.
OL Cam Juricich 6-foot-5, 310 pounds 2025- Big kid with good length and punchwho is also another name that will draw more looks starting next week when the colleges are back in recruiting mode.
TE/OL Ryan Yurisich 6-foot-2, 240 pounds 2025- As the position indicated he's sort of a tweener but showes to be a versatile player and a locked on blocker in thre JCA run game.
LB Daniel Rouse 5-foot-11, 200 pounds 2025 An experienced varsity player who was just a tackling machine in 2023.
S Zak Beitler 6-foot-1, 190 pounds 2025- Has some length and tools.....has had some very good games over the past season and I'll dig a bity deeper into his season video for sure.
Next: Class 6A thru Class 8A Top Underclassmen. State Finals
