In-state check-in: 2021 OL Riley Kennow

At 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds, Riley Kennow certainly has the size college coaches are looking for at the next level.

With that, a number of schools have shown early interest in the first-team all-conference selection from Indian Trail High School in Kenosha.

"The schools that I am hearing the most from are Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, Western Michigan, Cornell, South Dakota State and Illinois State," Kennow told BadgerBlitz.com. "There are also a number of Division 2 schools that have reached out as well."

This past fall and winter, Kennow took a handful of unofficial visits to programs around the Midwest. This spring, though, Kennow, like many other prospects across the country, had to cancel recruiting trips due to COVID-19.

"This past fall I went on visits to Northwestern, Notre Dame, NIU, Ohio and Miami (OH)," Kennow, who also competes in track and field for the Hawks, said. "This last winter, I went to NIU and South Dakota State. I had upcoming visits to Ohio, Western Michigan, NIU and Illinois State before the COVID-19 outbreak.

"It’s tough because I was really looking forward to taking those junior day visits and spring practices and strengthening relationships with coaches. I was about a week away from visiting Western Michigan when the news broke that the NCAA cancelled all on-campus contact."

Northwestern's campus, which is just over an hour away from Kenosha, is a school that Kennow continues to stay in contact with. He also has a family connection to Notre Dame.

"Northwestern was one of the very first schools to reach out my sophomore year and I took my first unofficial visit there," Kennow said. "I spoke to them recently, and they told me they were looking at me as an interior lineman. We continue to communicate back and forth as things unfold.

"As for Notre Dame, I got a camp invite from them early on as well. Later on, they requested my transcript and invited me on a game-day visit. The coaches were very supportive and had positive things to say. Notre Dame is a special place to my family and me because my great uncle, Tom Regner, attended and played for Notre Dame. He was an All-American and played for the 1966 national championship team."

Kennow, who was also a Kenosha News All-County selection as a junior, is still in search of his first scholarship offer. That could come from Northern Illinois coach Thomas Hammock, who signed five offensive linemen from the state of Wisconsin - Evan Buss, Anthony Vacula, Tyler Pitcel, John Champe and Matt Schooley - in the 2020 class.

"As of today, I probably have the strongest relationship with Northern Illinois," Kennow said. "The last time I visited with them, they indicated that they don’t extend offers to just anyone, and that I was on the right track. They encouraged me to come to camp this summer and stated that is when they will be looking at handing out offers for the class of 2021.

"Other than that, I like the conversations I’m having with Ohio and Northwestern, and I’m hoping something may come from that. There are many schools that are still talking to me, and I’m keeping my options wide open."