I spoke with Lake Zurich’s hard hitting 2018 MLB Jack Sanborn on his recent offers from Wisconsin and Indiana, his upcoming visits and how starting on varsity as a sophomore has helped improve his game as a junior. Great kid that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting on a few occasions. College coaches better keep an eye on him as he is already one of the top names coming out of Illinois in 2018. Many more offers to come.

You can find Jack on Twitter @JackSanborn79.

Jack Sanborn

Middle Linebacker
Lake Zurich
Lake Zurich, IL

Ht: 6’2″
Wt: 210 lbs
Class: 2018

Commitment status: Undecided

LPI: What were the most important things you did this offseason and are now doing in practice so you can improve this season? How do you go the extra mile as a player to improve your game?

JS: During the offseason it was more about becoming bigger, faster, stronger and improving my physical abilities and translate that to the field. Now, during the season, it has been more about polishing up the mental side of the game and getting better at the mental side of the game which is very important at the position I play as I learn something new it seems like every practice now. Also, I have been focused on being a leader on our team and really just focusing on trying to be the best team we can be and win the most games we can.

LPI: You currently have offers from Duke, Iowa and Iowa State. What are your greatest strengths or why should a school offer you?

JS: I have just recently been offered by Wisconsin and Indiana as well and I believe as a linebacker I understand the game very well as I am very good at reading my keys in order to get to the ball as quick as I can. I’m not afraid to be physical with offensive linemen and take them on either. From there, I believe my instincts take over in order to get to the ball.

LPI: Where have you visited most recently and when/where are you making your next visits to?

JS: I have recently visited Northwestern and Notre Dame and then I am going to visit Wisconsin now on the 15th when they face Ohio State. That is all I have scheduled for now but I plan on taking a couple more visits as well after that.

LPI: What’s it like starting on varsity as a sophomore? How did you deal with that pressure of playing against kids a few years older than you and how has it helped you this year as a junior?

JS: As a sophomore starting on varsity, I really didn’t feel like a sophomore. The coaches believed in me and my teammates believed in me which caused me to believe and be confident in myself while on the field. Now, as a junior, the game seems a little slower and I’m also a better leader on the team as I have more experience coming into this year than I did last year.

LPI: You guys are now 5-2 this year and look to make a deep playoff run. What would you say you guys are doing differently now compared to Bears teams in the past?

JS: I believe we are a very close family and that causes us to believe in each other and trust each other while we’re out on the field.

LPI: You guys have good players in yourself and Evan Lewandowski that have been getting recruiting attention. Who are some of your other teammates that you believe have a chance to play at the next level, but may be getting overlooked by college coaches?

JS:

Ryan Mcgeever: Ryan is someone who I believe is one of the best linebackers in the state as him and I are very close because we play the same positions and because of that are constantly around each other in practice. We push each other in practice to get better. He is also a tremendous leader which is why he is also a captain of our team. I can always trust him to make the right play even if I make a mistake he is always there to back me up. He is a very physical linebacker who also likes to be physical with offensive linemen, but can also play in space very well too.

Alex Miller: Alex is a big receiver who is very athletic and seems like he could play any position on the field as he also starts at safety for us. He is very smart and also is a great leader which is why he is another captain of our team. He is someone who you can throw it up to and have faith that he is going to come down with it due to his size and athletic ability.

Joey Stutzman: Joey is undersized, but if I had to pick him or someone who is bigger and maybe a little more athletic I would pick him every single time. He plays the game with so much heart and is so tough, he plays a lot bigger than what he is. He is athletic too and that is why he rushes for 100 yards at least every game and had one game with 220 yards or something around there. On top of that he also starts at outside linebacker. He is a perfect example that a players size doesn’t determine how good of a football player he is.

Matt Lawson: Matt is a player who started his sophomore year on varsity but then got injured his junior year which ended his junior season. He is a great defensive back that has great ball skills as he had a game this year with two interceptions. He is also very good at making tackles in space. He has done a great job covering the opposing teams best receiver so far this season and I believe he will continue to do so the rest of the year as well.