Batavia junior offensive lineman Ryan Myers has scholarship offers from Toledo and Western Michigan.
Photo courtesy of “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran
With the IHSA football season coming to a close over the next couple of weeks, more and more focus will be on recruiting, including Division I programs starting to build up their recruiting boards and making postseason film evaluations.
Here are some of the more in-demand local names in the Class of 2026 to follow this winter.
St. Francis wide receiver Zachary Washington (6-foot-3, 175 pounds)
Washington is holding 16 Division I offers, including from Wisconsin, Missouri and Illinois, and he has made in-season game day visits to all three schools this fall.
St. Francis tight end Gavin Mueller (6-6, 240)
Mueller, who added Division I offers before playing a down of high school football, now has a dozen Division I offers and made a game day visit earlier this fall to Wisconsin.
St. Francis quarterback Brady Palmer (6-2, 190)
Palmer has seen his game blossom this season and is holding six Division I offers, including Boston College, TCU and Miami of Ohio.
St. Francis wide receiver Dario Milivojevic (5-10, 160)
The speedy receiver is holding early offers from both Kent State and Marshall and made a game day visit to Western Michigan.
Palatine offensive lineman Tony Balanaganayi (6-4, 260)
Showtime Tony B is holding 10 Division I offers, including Illinois, Kansas, Iowa State, Miami (Fla.), Purdue, West Virginia and he also made a recent game day visit to Iowa State.
Hinsdale Central offensive lineman Gene Riordan (6-5, 280)
Riordan is also holding 10 Division I offers, including Boston College, Illinois, Iowa, Northwestern and Oklahoma and has made game day visits this season to Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma and Northwestern while also drawing interest from Notre Dame, which he also visited this fall.
Barrington offensive lineman Owen Fors (6-4, 280)
Fors is holding nine Division I offers from the likes of Illinois, Boston College, Indiana, Kansas, Miami of Ohio and Northwestern.
Naperville North defensive tackle Gabriel Hill (6-2, 275)
Hill is also holding an impressive 15 offers this fall, including offers from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Notre Dame, Minnesota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
Palatine offensive lineman Evan Downer (6-4, 270)
Downer has offers so far from Akron, Cincinnati, Marshall, NIU and Toledo along with drawing interest from both Illinois and Michigan State and he took game day visits to both schools this fall.
West Aurora quarterback Mason Atkins (6-3, 190)
Atkins is holding an early offer from Toledo and is also drawing interest from the likes of Iowa, Iowa State and made a game day visit to Illinois.
Downers Grove North defensive end Aiden Solecki (6-4, 240)
Added his first Division I offer this week from NIU while on an unofficial visit and is also drawing interest from Toledo, Miami of Ohio and Central Michigan.
Libertyville wide receiver Blaise LaVista (6-2, 190)
LaVista has offers from both Akron and Toledo and made game day visits to Kentucky and Illinois.
Libertyville offensive lineman Myles Batesky (6-4, 270)
Batesky has early offers from Akron and Marshall and made game day visits to Kansas State.
Burlington Central offensive lineman Zach Hultgren (6-5, 280)
So far Hultgren has offers from NIU, Eastern Michigan, Miami of Ohio plus Akron and Toledo plus roster spot offers from multiple Ivy League schools. Hultgren also made game day visits to Illinois, Minnesota, Eastern Michigan and Michigan State this fall.
Batavia offensive lineman Ryan Myers (6-5, 275)
Myers has offers from both Western Michigan and Toledo and made game day visits to Western Michigan and Iowa State.