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Sports

Wisconsin's Offensive Line Seems to Start in Barrington

Another Barrington lineman verbally commits to a Big Ten school.

It’s not déjà vu.

But for the second straight year, a Barrington offensive lineman has committed verbally to playing football on the next level as a member of the University of Wisconsin.

“I’m very excited and so is my whole family,” said the 6-foot-7, 290-pound Jack Keeler about his decision to play for Bret Bielema and the Badgers. “All my family is already out getting Wisconsin gear.”

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Keeler made the announcement that he would be joining one of the nation’s premiere schools for producing NFL lineman via Facebook earlier in the week and said that he weighed many factors as he searched for the perfect college fit.

“I had some family go to (the University of Wisconsin) and it’s close,” said Keeler on some of the reasons he chose Wisconsin. “But the decision really came down to where I and my family saw myself succeeding the most."

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With multiple Big Ten universities (Illinois, Nebraska and Michigan), as well as Vanderbilt and other Division I universities all recruiting and vying for Keeler, he appreciated that his former Bronco teammate, now a Wisconsin Badger, reached out to give him advice when he was making this crucial decision.

Dan “Voltz actually helped me a lot during the recruiting process,” Keeler said of at this time. “I talked with him right before I committed and he just reassured me that I was making the right decision.”

“He said, ‘Just pull the trigger when you feel right about (the decision), and do what your heart tells you,’ and that is what I did,” Keeler added.

But Keeler admits that he is a bit unsure of all his plans; specifically on whether he should graduate early so as to be on time for next year’s spring practice at Camp Randal in Madison, similar to the path Voltz took this year.

“I’m not total sure if I will graduate early but it’s a possibility,” Keeler said of his senior year and future high school plans. “I’ve been talking with my mom and family, but I’m more likely to finish the year.”

Keeler’s skills on the offensive line this year helped produced a thousand-yard runner in Chase Murdock () and helped the Broncos to a 7-3 finish with a heartbreaking , the state’s fourth-place finish in the 8A Illinois High School Association tournament this year.

Keeler, who is ranked among the top 25 offensive tackles in the nation, is No. 9 in Illinois at his position and really feels that the entire line might be ranked by the end of next season as he looks to get back on the gridiron.

“I think we will have one of the best offensive lines in the state next year,” said Keeler, indicating that another playoff run for the Broncos isn’t out of the question. Running back “Justin (Dragosz) will do well and we are going to have a great year.”

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