NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Illinois IOL Josh Gesky

Josh Gesky is a broad-framed, physical and alert guard prospect with solid play strength. He covers up and widens down linemen effectively on combinations, straining through contact with enough burst to intersect backers on climbs. Gesky flashes jolt in his punch, but too often catches blocks and lacks the recovery ability to consistently retake leverage and get out of compromised positions. He projects as a quality interior backup with the ability to step in and hold up at guard in a pinch.

Gesky is a 6'5", 329-pound offensive guard prospect who entered the Illinois program as a 3-star recruit in the 2021 class.

The former Fighting Illini started 34 career games at guard (32 LG & two RG), including 13 at left guard last season. He competed in the 2026 Shrine Bowl.

Brandon Thorn: Brandon is the author of the Trench Warfare newsletter, which focuses exclusively on offensive and defensive line evaluation. He also contributes as an analyst to Establish the Run, serves as the scouting coordinator for OL Masterminds and is a selection committee member for the Joe Moore Award. 

Highlights

Josh Gesky Highlights

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Where He Wins

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- Solid play strength with the frame to cover up, steer and solidify rush lanes on double-team and combo blocks.

- Shows enough burst and pop on contact to line up, jolt and corral rushers and linebackers on climbs.

- Physical, aggressive and alert play style to decipher stunts, games and clear the pocket when uncovered.

- Sturdy anchor when he plays long and established first meaningful contact.

Areas of Improvement

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- Upright play style with tardy foot quickness caps his ability to retake leverage and recover out of compromising positions.

- Below average power will cap his ability to generate immediate displacement on solo angle-drive blocks in the NFL.

Grade, Rank and Pro Comparison

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GRADE: 5.9 (Backup/Draftable - 6th Round)

COMPARABLE GRADE: Hayden Conner (6.3 in 2025), Colby Sorsdal (5.9 in 2023), Cordell Volson (5.7 in 2022)

OVERALL RANK: 239

POSITION RANK: IOL30

PRO COMPARISON: Andrew Vorhees

Measurables and Testing Data

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Height: 6'5"
Weight: 329
Arm: 33"
Hand: 9½"

40-Yard Dash: 5.03
10-Yard Split: 1.74
Vertical: 33"
Broad: 9'1"
Shuttle: 4.95
3-Cone: 8.06
Bench: 30