As a child, Marian Catholic’s Gavin Neil grew up watching Jadeveon Clowney highlights with his father, Jason.

Those highlights inspired him to become a defensive lineman when he first signed up for football around the age of 6.

A bigger kid from an early age, Neil played football and basketball, but his favorite athletes to watch included Clowney, Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp, Aaron Donald and Von Miller. Not too long after beginning youth football, however, Neil suffered his first concussion, which took him away from the gridiron, leading to more time on the basketball court.

“I played defensive tackle and a little bit of offensive guard when I was younger,” Neil said. “I’ve always wanted to play the defensive line position because I saw how everybody would erupt when they made a sack or a tackle and I wanted that same feeling... I was a bigger kid, so playing basketball would help me lose weight and it helped me get quicker and stronger.”

After years away from the game, Neil returned to football as a sophomore, playing on the JV team before being called up to the varsity team. Since then, Neil has emerged as one of the top defensive line prospects in the state. A native of Chicago’s west side, Neil stands 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 290 pounds, which made the shift from basketball easier.

“Basketball wasn’t working for me anymore,” Neil said. “I was a 6-foot-2 big man, so I had to change my route and play something different... I’m much older now and I know I can take hits. I wasn’t scared at all, I was ready to go play. Thanks to coach [Nick] Lopez and coach Fabian [Chatman], I came back my sophomore year and ever since then, I’ve been loving it.”

While Marian Catholic recorded just two victories during his junior season, Neil was a bright spot on the defensive line, where he compiled 39 total tackles, 13 TFLs, 13 hurries and six sacks. Neil split time on offense and defense as a junior, playing tight end and moving all around the defensive line. Neil’s quickness from basketball enabled him to make an immediate impact on Marian Catholic’s pass rush, which generated 14.5 sacks in 2024.

“It’s a whole maturation process and he understands that he can be really good at this,” Lopez said. “He really wants it and he has the opportunity to go play at the next level. His explosiveness, his get-offs and his strike are what really separate him from the offensive linemen. He’s able to find the ball and he’s always disrupting the quarterback. He’s always getting those hurries, getting his hands in the face and making the quarterback move.”

In the first varsity game of his junior season, Neil garnered one sack and added three tackles (one TFL) during Marian Catholic’s 25-0 win against Rich Township. One of Neil’s breakout moments came during a 38-27 loss to St. Francis, when he posted seven solo tackles, five quarterback hurries, two TFLs and two sacks. By the end of his junior season, Neil led the Spartans in tackles for loss and tied with Joaquin Mendez for the team lead in sacks.

“My junior season, I wasn’t as talkative with my teammates,” Neil said. “This year, I’ve gotten way better in the role of being a leader and a role model for the younger kids coming up... This year, my explosiveness and my get-off have gotten way better. My film watching wasn’t good last year, but that’s gotten a lot better this year. I’m reading plays and reacting a little better.”

Entering his senior season, Neil challenged himself to find his voice and be more than just a pass rusher. Whether he’s playing a one-technique or a four-technique, Neil set a goal for his senior season to be a bigger factor in the run game. In eight games, Neil has 39 total tackles, 14 hurries and 12 TFLs along with six sacks, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

“Coming from basketball, I felt like my pass rush has always been good,” Neil said. “I have that twitchy first step, but as far as the run game goes, I’ve become way more aggressive and technical when it comes to run defense. I love going on the field and showing my aggression. Going against these top offensive guards and tackles, I can show that I belong here.”

Although this year has been a struggle for the Spartans, who hold a 2-6 record with one week remaining, Marian Catholic has a chance to clinch the CCL/ESCC Red Division crown. Having already beaten Leo and Marmion, the Spartans can clinch the Red Division with a win against De La Salle on Friday night. It would be the team’s second division championship in three years.

“That’s something we talk about in the locker room all of the time,” Neil said. “We definitely want to win for our coaches. Even if we don’t want to do it for ourselves, our coaches deserve it and we want to finish out our season the right way. They put hard work, sweat and tears in to help us get better and better. Our coaches have been the main reason why we’re still fighting.”

A three-star prospect and the No. 31 overall prospect in the state’s 2026 class, according to the 247Sports composite ratings, Neil announced his commitment in June to play football at Boston College. The Spartan senior put himself on the recruiting map after a strong performance at an Under Armour camp in Ohio last spring. Neil holds over a dozen offers from multiple Division I programs including Michigan State, Air Force, Army and NIU.

“I always had that dream of playing basketball, but I had to put that down to do what I really love, which is football,” Neil said. “Coach Lopez is on me all of the time and he shows me what I need to be working on so I can go to the next level and dominate there as well. I’ve been getting better since I got here. My speed, my hands and my hip mobility all have to get better.”

With the support of his father Jason and his mother, Sharhonda Jointer, Neil has traveled around the region, visiting states like Minnesota, Nebraska and Ohio since the start of last year. Boston College entered the picture in April, when Neil received a visit from defensive line coach Jordan Thomas. After speaking with current players and talking with head coach Bill O’Brien on his official visit June 10, Neil knew that Boston College was the right place.

“[Bill] told me that I was a player who could make a really good impact at Boston College,” Neil said. “That meant a lot to me because I’ve worked really hard to get to where I’m at and hearing that validation was a great feeling... Boston College stood out because of the communication. When I first started talking to them, the communication was on point. That’s what drove me. Some of these other schools talk about money first, but coach Bill [O’Brien] talked about playing time and development. That’s what I loved.”

Now fueled by a dream of playing in the NFL, Neil intends to play defensive tackle at Boston College. Neil, whose academic interests include human resources, said recruiting and coaching are two potential avenues to take after college. Outside of football and school, where he holds a 3.5 GPA according to his X (Twitter), Neil enjoys skateboarding and being active.

“They’re getting a well-rounded, smart kid who pays attention to detail and gets after it,” Lopez said. “He’s ready to dive in and his tenacity is what drives him. They’re getting an overall great player and with him fine tuning some of his skills, I think it’s going to be a great match for him.”