The 2025 NFL Draft is just on the horizon, but with a lot of the projections already in after offseason events like the Senior Bowl and the Shrine Bowl, several are turning their attention to rising 2026 prospects.
And one of those who definitely deserves some attention is Illinois offensive lineman Josh Kreutz. His team, the Fighting Illini, recently made huge strides as a program and had a standout season en route to a Citrus Bowl appearance.
Kreutz’s role as center helped as Illinois had success in both the passing game and the run game. There’s a reason he made the All-Big Ten Honorable Mention list for the past two seasons, and why he was named one of the top 10 offensive linemen in all of college football by Pro Football Focus on occasions during the 2024 season (vs. Rutgers and vs. Nebraska).
But Kreutz, who has a strong line of successful football players behind him with Olin Kreutz in his lineage, knows there is still more work to do as he prepares to build off of that and become a prominent NFL Draft prospect.
Continuing to keep the Illini playing at the level they achieved in 2024 (and higher) is among Kreutz’s primary goals. And it is about more than just himself.
“Just building on this season, going back watching the film, looking to get better for myself and as our unit,” Kreutz said in an interview with RG.org. “I just want to keep playing good at these games (New Year’s bowl games like the Citrus Bowl) and see where that leads me.”
Obviously, winning games and the type of individual performance that Kreutz puts on throughout the season are of paramount importance, but the worm that goes on in the offseason is just as important.
In some ways, it may be even more important.
“Make sure you’re in the weight room. Make sure you’re getting a recovery, make sure you’re eating right, all that kind of stuff, right?,” Kreutz continued.
That’s not just a personal thing for Kreutz, but for the Illini in general.
“That’s what builds teams like this that maybe didn’t have lower expectations, maybe not as high of a talent ceiling as other teams. That’s how we build ourselves up and get there, and close the gap between us and those other teams.”
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Draft Wire…