Offensive Player of the Year: Israel Abrams, Montini, junior, quarterback

Defensive Player of the Year: Kameron McGee, Brother Rice, sophomore, defensive line

FIRST TEAM

Quarterback

Israel Abrams, Montini, junior: A four-star prospect in the 2027 class, Abrams threw for 4,072 yards and 40 touchdowns with six interceptions over 14 games, leading Montini to an IHSA 4A state championship and a second straight state title. Abrams, who rushed for 224 yards and 10 touchdowns, earned IHSFCA All-State honors and was named both an All-CCL/ESCC player and the CCL/ESCC White’s Co-MVP.

Jonas Williams, Lincoln-Way East, senior: A USC commit who has graduated high school early and will start college on Jan. 5, Williams became the IHSA’s all-time leader in career passing yards (11,347) and touchdowns (147) this season. A late-season ankle injury that caused him to miss two games kept those numbers from being even higher. The 6-foot-3, 205-pounder passed for 2,488 yards and 35 touchdowns this season despite missing two games with an ankle injury.

Running back

Landon Knigge, Dixon, senior: Knigge rushed for a single-season school-record 2,282 yards with a 12.89-yard average on 177 carries. He scored 37 touchdowns with just one fumble and ran for 447 yards in one game on 22 carries. He added a receiving TD and two punt return scores for the Dukes as an IHFSCA first-team all-stater and unanimous first-team all-BNC pick.

TJ Lewis, Bolingbrook, junior: One of the top running back recruits in the state for the Class of 2027, Lewis ran for 1,784 yards on 227 carries and scored 21 rushing TDs. He also had six receptions for 81 yards and a TD.

Aaron Stewart, Warren, senior: Illinois recruit and IHSFCA Class 8A first team all-state pick carried the ball a whopping 338 times this season for 2,782 yards and scored 46 touchdowns, tied for fifth all-time in recorded IHSA history. Two-time state champion wrestler carried the ball 920 times over the last three seasons for 7,020 yards (sixth all-time in IHSA history) and scored 100 touchdowns (tied for fifth all-time).

Wide receiver

Quentin Burrell, Mount Carmel, junior: A four-star prospect with several Division I offers, Burrell led the Mount Carmel receiving corps, making 67 catches for 1,124 yards and 14 touchdowns. Burrell, who brought two kickoffs back for touchdowns this season, helped the Caravan finish 14-0 and win a fourth straight state championship. Burrell is the CCL/ESCC Blue’s Offensive Player of the Year and an IHSFCA All-State selection.

Jake Cestone, Nazareth, senior: An Illinois State recruit who played four years of varsity football at Nazareth, Cestone ended his senior campaign with 48 catches for 999 yards and 17 touchdowns while helping the Roadrunners reach the IHSA 6A state semifinals. Cestone earned IHSFCA All-State and CCL/ESCC Green Offensive Player of the Year awards this year.

Dario Milivojevic, St. Francis, senior: The Southern Illinois commit, who holds a preferred walk on offer from Missouri, had an outstanding senior season, catching 52 passes for 1,030 yards and 15 touchdowns while guiding St. Francis to an IHSA 5A state championship win. Milivojevic is an IHSFCA All-State honoree and the CCL/ESCC Green’s MVP.

Offensive line

Angelo DeSensi, Montini, senior: DeSensi holds multiple FCS offers and helped Montini’s offense set multiple program records during its 14-0 season, which ended with a Class 4A state championship. An All-CCL/ESCC honoree in the White Division, De Sensi is a 6-foot-6, 285-pounder who has been a three-year starter for the Broncos, winners of 24 straight.

Rico Schrieber, Marist, senior: A three-star prospect signed to Purdue, Schrieber didn’t allow a single sack in pass protection for the RedHawks. The 6-foot-7, 315-pounder earned an IHSFCA All-State award and was named both an All-CCL/ESCC player and the CCL/ESCC Orange’s Co-Lineman of the Year. Schrieber was also dominant in the run game.

Bryce Tencza, Providence, senior: A third-degree blackbelt in taekwondo and a Lafayette football recruit, Tencza earned All-CCL/ESCC honors and was named the CCL/ESCC Orange’s Co-Lineman of the Year. Tencza spurred a Providence rushing attack that totaled 3,507 yards this season. The Celtics went 10-4 and reached the IHSA 5A state finals.

Defensive line

Kameron McGee, Brother Rice, sophomore: A monster in the trenches, McGee helped comprise a defensive line that collectively won CCL/ESCC Blue’s Lineman of the Year honor. The super sophomore and five-star prospect had 54 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, nine pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for the Crusaders, who won the Class 7A state championship. McGee is an All-CCL/ESCC winner.

Braeden Jones, Mount Carmel, senior: A four-star prospect signed to USC, Jones recorded 85 tackles, including 15 TFLs, while adding 9.5 sacks and six pass breakups. Jones spearheaded a Mount Carmel defense that limited Oswego to three points in a Class 8A state championship victory. As a junior, Jones recorded 75 tackles, 12 TFLs, 7.5 sacks and five PBUs.

Jaylen Torres, St. Francis, senior: A two-way standout and Lindenwood recruit, Torres recorded an outstanding 114 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and 19 hurries with a forced fumble. Torres, who started on the offensive line and had 64 pancake blocks, was named an IHSFCA All-State winner and an CCL/ESCC Green selection this season.

Linebacker

Caden Considine, Byron, senior: Two-way standout rushed for Class 3A championship game record 367 yards with three touchdowns in 56-50 win over Tolono Unity in Class 3A final. Finished the season with 85 tackles, nine tackles for loss and three interceptions at linebacker. Rushed for 2,024 yards at over 12 yards per carry with 34 touchdowns.

Roman Igwebuike, Mount Carmel, junior: Another elite 2027 prospect rostered by the Caravan, Igwebuike posted 115 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three forced fumbles, three pass breakups, two interceptions and one fumble recovery. Igwebuike earned All-CCL/ESCC honors and anchored the Mount Carmel defense during its Class 8A title run.

Sean Rice, St. Laurence, junior: An All-CCL/ESCC honoree who helped St. Laurence reach the IHSA 6A state semifinals, Rice wrangled up 123 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five interceptions and two forced fumbles for the Vikings. Rice, who also played tight end this season, is a top 2027 player with offers from multiple Division I programs including Illinois.

Santino Tenuta, Montini, senior: Tenuta, a standout wrestler who earned All-CCL/ESCC and IHSFCA All-State Honorable Mention recognition this football season, had an astonishing 165 tackles along with 36 tackles for loss, eight sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for Montini, which went 14-0 and won the Class 4A state title.

Defensive back

Lyzale Edmon, Bradley-Bourbonnais, senior: Edmon will graduate from Bradley-Bourbonnais as one of the most talented playmakers in program history. The Daily Journal Player of the Year became a repeat first-team all-stater when he made the Class 6A squad this fall after registering 49 catches for 828 yards and 16 touchdowns and nine carries for 171 yards offensively, three interceptions defensively and a pair of special teams touchdowns. The Pittsburg State recruit also repeated on the All-SouthWest Valley Conference team. His Boiler career ended with 79 catches for 1,324 yards and 24 touchdowns, eight interceptions and six special teams touchdowns.

Jake Thies, Fenwick, junior: One of the top Class of 2027 prospects in the state, Thies dominated on both sides of the ball for the Friars, who stunned East St. Louis to win the Class 6A state title. At running back, Thies ran for 1,192 yards and 14 touchdowns on 143 carries while adding 30 catches for 360 yards and three touchdowns. At safety, Thies compiled 59 tackles, six tackles for loss, five forced fumbles, four interceptions, three sacks and one defensive touchdown.

Mariano Velasco, Oswego, senior: Two-way standout had 30 catches for 742 yards and nine touchdowns at receiver. Defensively had six interceptions, four returned for touchdowns, with 49 tackles, five tackles for loss and five pass breakups for Class 8A runner-up. All-conference in SPC West and Class 8A all-state pick. Holds offers from Air Force and Butler.

SECOND TEAM

Quarterback

Johnny O’Brien, Fremd, senior

Trae Taylor, Carmel, junior

Running back

Caeden Curran, Morris, senior

Casey Etheridge, Princeton, senior

Ryan Kettman, Wilmington, senior

Wide receiver

Brett Berggren, Batavia, senior

Davon Grant, DeKalb, senior

Keaton Reinke, St. Charles North, senior

Offensive line

Brogan Kjellesvik, Morris, junior

Ryan Myers, Batavia, senior

Zach Ohlund, Wilmington, senior

Defensive line

Jayden Daniel, Glenbard West, senior

Chris Kasky, Nazareth, junior

Brayden Parks, Brother Rice, junior

Linebacker

Foley Calcagno, IC Catholic Prep, senior

Max Hetlet, Glenbard West, senior

Tony Minnec, Batavia, senior

Michael Murphy, Fenwick, senior

Defensive back

Tommy Thies, Fenwick, senior

Cedric Terrell III, Kankakee, senior

Luke Vanderwiel, Prairie Ridge, senior