Illini hot after 4-star defensive end

Though the offers are piling up for 4-star defensive end Devin O’Rourke from Frankfort (Ill.) Lincoln-Way East, the home-state school is coming after him the hardest at this point.

“Of all my offers from schools, I’ve been hearing from Illinois the most,” O’Rourke said. “They are letting me know how important I am to them and the school.”

Rivals.com ranks O’Rourke as the No. 10 strong-side defensive end in the class of 2018. and the No. 2 prospect in the state of Illinois. Other early offers include Indiana, Iowa State, Northwestern, and Wisconsin.

O’Rourke also took a visit to Notre Dame this fall and he’s hearing from Penn State, Michigan State, Iowa, Syracuse and others.

Illinois recently had O’Rourke on campus in Champaign for an unofficial visit. He got to spend time visiting with his recruiter Luke Butkus and his potential position coach Mike Phair.

“I really like my recruiter Luke Butkus, and I really like the success Coach Phair has had,” O’Rourke said. “I think Illinois is on the rise now.”

Just a junior, O’Rourke is in no hurry to name favorites. He may trim his list sometime this coming spring.

Following his junior season, O’Rourke was named first team all-state by the Illinois High School Coaches Association. He posted 95 tackles, nine sacks, and 19 tackles for loss in helping lead Lincoln-Way East to a 9-3 record and a trip to the IHSA Class 8A quarterfinals.

Still, O’Rourke says he has improvements to make over the off-season.

“I know I need to work on a few things to get better,” O’Rourke said. “I am focusing on my pursuit, shedding blocks, and my speed off the line.”