Illinois Football: Illini offensive line gets stronger with Josh Gesky pledge
It was a pretty good weekend when it comes to the future of the football program.
On Sunday morning, the Illinois football team received some great news as Josh Gesky decided to end his recruitment and commit to the Orange and Blue. This is a big commitment and another great snag by offensive line coach, Bob McClain.
Gesky is a 6-foot-5, 265-pound offensive tackle from Manteno High School and resides in Manteno, Illinois. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 1816 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 159 offensive tackle in the nation. He is also the No. 51 player in the state of Illinois.
I’d like to announce that I’ve decided to commit to The University of Illinois!! Thank you to all the coaches that have shown interest in me. The decision was difficult, but Illinois is able to give me the experience I want, all while staying close with my family.@LovieSmith pic.twitter.com/HY1Ui2MIDC
— Josh Gesky (@JGesky) August 9, 2020
The commitment of Gesky to Illinois was something that was expected for the past few weeks. 247Sports’ Crystal Ball had Gesky heading to the Illini and it proved to be spot on. Illinois wasn’t the only team eyeing the talented tackle, though. He also had offers from teams like Syracuse, Kansas and Penn. But the Illini were able to win out.
Gesky is the type of kid Illinois loves to have on the team. He isn’t a polished product, but he has the framework to be something really good for this team. I believe Coach McClain can take any big man and make him into a solid offensive lineman. But Gesky isn’t just any big man; he is an athletic player who can move on the line. This is going to be huge at the next level.
Where will Gesky fit in on the Illinois roster?
Obviously, I see Gesky coming in and redshirting year one. This would give him time to get stronger and learn better techniques that will enable him to be a great offensive lineman.
By year two, I see this kid being a backup on the line. Since Illinois had a nice haul of offensive linemen the last couple of classes, I would doubt Gesky is a primary backup. But he could see snaps as a redshirt freshman.
I see Gesky getting his first starts during his redshirt junior year. This is when the Illini would need him the most. He should be a college-level offensive tackle by then.
Next. 5 Illini freshmen who will make the biggest impact. dark
I love this pick up for the Illini. Gesky isn’t going to make an impact immediately, but this is a play for the team to continue to improve down the road. Illinois is building from the inside out, and I love it.