Josh Gesky

Joshua “Josh” Gesky (guess-KEE), who has two siblings, was born and raised in Manteno, Ill., by his parents (Joel and Dawn). He is engaged to his high school sweetheart (Daniela Zeilenga). His father, who coached his sons throughout youth and high school football, was an offensive tackle at Nebraska (1990-94). His older brother (Jeremy) played offensive line at NAIA Olivet Nazarene. Josh Gesky was a three-time all-conference performer at left tackle for Manteno High School. A three-star recruit, he received heavy Ivy League interest, including offers from Columbia, Harvard and Princeton, but he opted to stay close to home and play in the Big Ten. He worked his way into the Illini’s starting lineup as a sophomore and earned All-Big Ten honors each of the past three seasons. Gesky enrolled at 260 pounds, played at around 330 pounds in 2025 and weighed under 310 pounds for his pro day — he has a big-boned frame that he can fill out or make leaner, depending on what is needed. He was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 6, but scouts say he manages it well with the staff (always has a water or Gatorade on him). Though his redirect skills are marginal, he has adequate feet and eager hands to set up shop and get into a punch-ready position. He is a coach-pleaser, with a blue-collar mindset as a worker. Overall, Gesky can do a better job with his flexibility to create leverage, but his natural strength and torque allow him to cover up in the run game or anchor in pass pro. His pro-day workout created a buzz among scouts. 296 Back to table of contents -- 300 of 629 --