Top 10 Illinois defensive players for 2023 HS football season
3. Iose Epenesa, Jr., Edwardsville
It wouldn’t take long for Epenesa to enter the spotlight during his sophomore campaign as he seems set to blaze a similar path to that of his older brothers, AJ and Eric. During 2022, Iose collected 31 tackles, including a team-high 14 tackles for loss and six sacks for the Tigers. The junior will be primed for similar success in 2023, with the Edwardsville star already receiving plenty of attention from college recruiters. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound defensive lineman holds offers from the likes of Illinois, Iowa, and USC.
2025 EDGE Iose Epenesa is a ruthless pass rusher off the snap. He has a great first step, can dip, rip and run the hoop & is a violent finisher.
IL’s #1 player in the 2025 class & the brother of Bills DE Aj Epenesa.@EEpenesa | @TigerFootball_ pic.twitter.com/Oljucmh0dr
— Jake Lemming (@HSFBscout) August 2, 2023
