At the University of Illinois’ football pro day on March 12, 2021 Manteno graduate Josh Gesky put on a show for scouts from across the NFL.

Although the Illini guard did not attend the NFL Scouting Combine held from Feb. 26 to March 1, his 4.94-second 40-yard dash at his pro day would’ve ranked sixth among interior offensive lineman in attendance and his 30 reps in the bench press would’ve ranked fourth.

That performance boosted Gesky’s position as a pro prospect and ultimately led to him signing with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent Saturday evening, as first reported by NFL reporter Aaron Wilson.

He became the second Daily Journal area offensive lineman to turn pro this year, joining Kankakee native and Missouri tackle Keagen Trost who was selected by the Rams with the 93rd overall pick.

Gesky earned a third straight All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honor to wrap his career at Illinois. The redshirt-senior started all 13 games at left guard for the second straight season, with the Illini going 19-7 in those 26 games, the winningest two-year stretch in school history.

Gesky’s father Joel played offensive line at Nebraska and his older brother Jeremy played offensive line at Olivet Nazarene.

He too fell in love with a position that he feels can be undervalued by young aspiring football players, as he told the Daily Journal at his youth football camp in Manteno back in May 2025.

“The main point of the camp was trying to give back to the community and bring some popularity back to being an O-lineman,” Gesky said. “No one really wants to be an O-lineman. It’s not the coolest, not the flashiest thing to do. But everyone needs an O-line. ... It’s the backbone of team, and it’s what creates healthy cultures.”

He now has the chance to try and contribute to a team culture at the NFL level.