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Chris O'Connor doesn't always provide that "wow" factor. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Tinley Park  junior defensive lineman had a solid number of sacks last year, but it wasn't close to double digits.

But basing an assessment on O'Connor solely on his sack numbers would underscore his real impact on the game, Andrew coach Jim Zimmer said.

For you Chicago Bears fans, think Alex Brown more than Julius Peppers at a high-school level. O'Connor won't flash elite speed or athleticism, but he's a consistent performer.

"He does those little things," Zimmer said of O'Connor, who batted down 10 passes at the line of scrimmage last season. "We call it great cap integrity. He's really stout and doesn't get driven off the ball and creates a lot of double teams. His role is to make others around him better. That's a credit to him and what he's done.

"He finds a way to get in the camera. When you watch film, he's always around the football."

O'Connor's presence on film was enough for Illinois to extend a scholarship offer, his first, earlier this month. First-year offensive coordinator Paul Petrino has led the Illini's recruitment.

"Illinois was the biggest one so far," Zimmer said. "That's the biggest one right now, but this week's been busy with phone calls requesting film on him. Wisconsin is probably the next Big Ten team with a lot of interest.

"He's pretty excited about the University of Illinois offer."

The Andrew standout also has interest from Iowa, Vanderbilt and Wisconsin. O'Connor, who sports a 4.0 grade-point average, also has interest from "every Ivy League school," according to Zimmer. That studious nature has paid off on the gridiron.

"He's one of the best technicians I've had in 15 years on the defensive line," Zimmer said. "Along with a high motor, it makes him a very special player. It goes a long with the way he approaches his schoolwork. He takes a lot of pride in getting things done right. He takes a lot of pride in the little things to become a good football player."