Division I offers, particularly from Big Ten programs, keep coming for Naperville North’s Gabriel Hill.
But the junior defensive lineman isn’t a typical high-level football recruit.
“He doesn’t like to be recruited, which is a little bit unique,” Naperville North coach Sean Drendel said. “He enjoys (the attention), but he’s a kid that just wants to be a great football player.
“His focus is not on being recruited by so-and-so. He just wants to keep getting better and trying to be the best he can be.”
Hill is going to have to get used to being the center of attention, both on the field and off it. The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder already has 14 Division I offers.
Iowa was the first to make an offer. Illinois, Iowa State, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Purdue, Rutgers, Tennessee and Wisconsin are among the others that have followed suit.
“It feels good to know that your skill is being noticed and that your performance is being evaluated,” Hill said. “As a football player, I think that’s always a great thing.
“Once the games go on, I just want to keep building and keep making it to the next step, so it’s kind of cool.”
Hill is taking the recruiting process in stride. He’s not one to hype his accomplishments.
“He’s a super talented kid, but a quiet, shy kid as well,” Drendel said. “He’s not a big talker. He’s a kid who knows he can’t be under the radar but would like to be under the radar.”
Hill got on everyone’s radar after a breakout varsity debut in 2023, when he recorded 55 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, seven sacks, nine hurries, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He was named all-conference in the DuPage Valley.
While it’s becoming a bit more common for sophomores to make a varsity roster and even start, it is rare to see it happen on the defensive line.
“He’s an intimidating force,” Drendel said. “He’s a big, strong kid who has worked extremely hard to continue to get better. He’s extremely strong and rather twitchy. He has great hands, which allows him a lot of times not to be held or engaged with people, which then can create havoc.”
Physical size allowed Hill to have immediate success for the Huskies. He said intelligence will allow him to sustain it.
“I think the easiest part of last year was the size,” Hill said. “I felt size I matched up pretty well, speed I matched up really well and strength I matched up really well. I feel like I’ve gotten stronger and faster this year.
“But now it’s understanding the game, understanding the cadence, understanding if it’s a pass or run in which situation. In part it’s become a mind game. The more you can understand the game, the better you’ll be, so I want to understand what comes every week.”
Drendel wants Hill to come out of his shell a little bit and provide audibles, as well as physical leadership.
“We’d like to see him be a little bit more vocal than he is, but he still is a younger kid,” Drendel said. “We just hope he keeps progressing because he’ll be one of the great ones here at Naperville North.”
Indeed, Drendel said the Huskies have not had a defensive lineman play Big Ten football since Paul Marshall, who played at Illinois from 1993 to 1996 and started his final 28 games there.
That’s exciting to think about, but Hill isn’t focusing on the future. He still has two more seasons of high school football left.
“My goal has always been to play college football and play in the NFL,” he said. “But I’m really just taking one day at a time and just keep working and keep building. I don’t want to overlook the process. Things will work out if you work hard enough.”
More offers are likely to come in the meantime. But don’t expect an announcement anytime soon.
“I’m not anywhere close to making a decision,” Hill said. “It’s definitely going to be later. It’s going to be a feel, just whenever I feel like I’ve got the right fit.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
