Ross Liegel is emerging as a future anchor on NIU’s offensive line
In the 2025 season, Ross Liegel played in all 12 games and earned his first start at Ohio on October 18, then entered 2026 as a preseason honoree and returning starter for Northern Illinois. At 6-foot-6 and 278 pounds, he brings the kind of length, size, and developmental upside coaches love at tackle, and NIU’s own preseason notes link him to an offensive line that helped the Huskies average 187.1 rushing yards per game in 2025. He also earned Academic All-MAC recognition, which fits the profile of a steady, high-floor fit for a program that values toughness, intelligence, and reliability.
