Ohio State offers No. 1 2027 IOL in Illinois who packs a ‘violent punch’

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Earlier this week, Ohio State football officially offered offensive lineman Luke Injaychock from back-to-back Illinois state champion high school Nazareth Academy.

Injaychock is currently listed as the No. 1 interior offensive lineman in Illinois according to Rivals, and at 6-foot-6, 285 pounds, he is a force to be reckoned with for the defense.

He squats 495 pounds, and his head coach, Tim Racki, commended his quick burst off the line. But Injaychock said he thinks the strongest part of his game is his punch.

“I have a pretty violent punch,” Injaychock said, “and it stuns a lot of people, which is always really nice, especially in pass blocking, because you kind of stand them up right away, and then it’s just easy from there.”

Injaychock proved his physicality at OSU’s June 10 camp, where he won every single rep in one-on-ones. He also showcased his quickness during the agility drills, which he said were his favorite part.

He impressed OSU offensive line coach Tyler Bowen, who praised Injaychock’s natural athletic ability, especially his 5.0 40-yard dash and his 8.5-foot broad jump. Bowen told him, “You’re the kind of player I want to coach.”

Bowen told him that he could play guard or tackle, and that his versatility could play a huge role at OSU. Injaychock can shine in both roles, preferring guard for rush blocking and tackle for pass blocking. He noted how his 81-inch wingspan helps him when lining up against defensive ends.

Racki praised Injaychock’s quickness, footwork, and how he “works like a dog” in the weight room. As Dean at Nazareth Academy, Racki also spoke highly of Injaychock’s character both on and off the field.

“All the teachers love him ... the coaches love him,” Racki said. “He wants to be coached hard, he pushes himself, but he takes the classroom seriously … his behavior is exemplary.”

Racki recalled the time Injaychock first started playing high school ball. He had been pushing kids around in youth football because of his size, but now he was a freshman on a playoff team, playing around guys who were committed to big D1 schools like Stanford, Iowa, and Indiana.

He started to get pushed around for the first time, and Racki said Injaychock’s reaction showed his drive to improve.

“It was great to see his growth, not getting down himself when he’s taking on a kid that’s going to be playing in college, and he’s only a freshman in high school,” Racki said. “But that actually helped him, and he embraced it, and that’s what made him better.”

To model his game, Injaychock said he looks up to Philadelphia Eagles star left tackle Jordan Mailata, and that he admires his “perfect” technique and how he is “one of the most fundamentally sound offensive linemen in football.”

Injaychock’s entire family is from Philadelphia, which has also contributed to him becoming an Eagles fan. His grandfather, Joe Injaychock, was even a practice squad player for them in the 70s for many years.

His family was one of the reasons he got into football in the first place. In fifth grade he started off as a quarterback, but he grew so quickly that eventually he switched over to line. He plays both offensive and defensive line at his high school because, quite simply, his team needs him. As of right now, he is only being offered as an OL.

In terms of a college program, Injaychock said that the most important thing to him is stability. He doesn’t want a school that’s constantly changing coaches and schemes. For those reasons and more, Ohio State is one of his top choices at the moment.

“They’re the national champs and they’re stable. It’s a great program, you know?” Injaychock said. “I love Coach Bowen. I love what Coach Day does when it comes to just building a team. I think it’s awesome over there, and it’s very high on my board.”

“I’m familiar with Ohio State and how their culture is,” Racki said. “He would fit perfectly into what Ohio State does, culture wise and training wise and football wise.

Injaychock currently holds offers from 16 D1 schools, according to 247Sports, and most recently attended an Alabama recruiting camp. He plans to check out the game days from schools he has offers from, so he can see for himself the kind of atmosphere he would be playing in. He plans on committing in the winter of 2026, and whichever college he chooses will be getting an all-out worker from day one.

“[I bring] my best effort every day,” Injaychock said. “You know, some kids lack effort and then lollygag during a regular practice. And I don’t like doing that. I don’t think it’s good for me or the team.”

“He’s a smart, athletic, hard worker that is very coachable and his development will only continue to grow as long as you continue to coach him,” Racki said. “You tell him what to do, he’s going to do it. That’s the bottom line.”