Pylon Chicago: Key rankings questions surrounding Midwest prospects
Following a weekend of good 7-on-7 action at Pylon Chicago, Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith addresses the burning rankings questions among some top Midwest recruits.
HOW MUCH HIGHER CAN JONAS WILLIAMS CLIMB?
Every time we see Jonas Williams he’s impressive. Having seen him a handful of times over the last year in person it’s clear to see the growth in his game. Williams has a strong but accurate arm, can make plays on the move and is growing as a leader. He’s currently the No. 45 prospect in the Rivals250 and the No. 7 quarterback which is nothing to sneeze at. He’s knocking on the door of five-star status so how much room is there for him to climb up the rankings? There is only one non five-star ahead of him at his position. Before the cycle is over we may need to have a more serious five-star discussion about the Oregon quarterback commit.
WILL A PAIR OF TE RISERS EMERGE IN THE 2026 RANKINGS?
The one thing we can always count on at a Midwest event is good tight end play. The region is loaded right now with quality players at the position. Two prospects that are currently three-stars stood out during the event over the weekend.
Ohio native Landon Miree has good size and runs crisp routes. He was the go-to player for his team when things got tough and he made big-time plays. Another riser to watch is Illinois native Gavin Mueller. He’s very big at 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, but moves well for that size. He’s raw as a football player since he hasn’t been playing long. Tracking his growth over the summer will be fun.
DO WE HAVE A NEW MIDWEST QUARTERBACK ON THE RISE?
It’s pretty rare for a player to fly under the radar while committed to a Big Ten program but that’s where quarterback Owen Lansu finds himself. Lansu has good enough size and is a consistent passer from inside the pocket. His measurables don’t blow you away but he’s a productive player that will fit in well at Minnesota. He’s certainly one of the better quarterbacks in the region for the 2026 cycle.
IS BROCK WILLIAMS STILL THE CLEAR-CUT NO. 1 TE IN THE MIDWEST?
During limited work at the event Brock Williams showed his mixture of size and athleticism that has colleges from around the country rushing to offer him. His tournament was cut short by an ankle injury but it was more precautionary than anything else. Right now Williams is rated as the No. 27 prospect in the Rivals250 and No. 2 tight end. He’s worthy of that high ranking but there are several Midwest tight ends that are going to challenge him. One player to look out for is Barrington (Ill.) High standout Austin Coles. He was also at the event and had a great weekend making several highlight catches.
The pecking order for tight end in 2027 is far from settled and there are a lot of great players at the position.
