His name is out there now.

Oswego’s Ammar Banire was an unknown before last season.

Brought up to varsity last summer, Banire was part of a backfield rotation as a sophomore. His No. 34 was not even listed on the varsity roster.

Banire had his breakout game in Oswego’s crosstown win over Oswego East, rushing for 126 yards and two touchdowns.

He had a critical 63-yard touchdown run in a 10-7 Class 8A semifinal win over Lockport, part of Oswego’s improbable run to the state finals.

Now he’s on the recruiting radar. Still only a sophomore, Banire picked up Division-I scholarship offers from Western Michigan and Miami of Ohio this week. North Dakota State was next.

“It feels like everything I’ve been working for,” Banire said.

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Plainfield North’s Colin Nickel passes at the IHSA Southwest Suburb Showcase combine on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at Plainfield North High School. (Gary Middendorf)

Banire was one of over 150 athletes from 10 schools, including Oswego, Oswego East and Yorkville, to put their talents on display Thursday in front of colleges at the Southwest Suburb Showcase at Plainfield North.

The event, which featured agility and position drills, is one of around 20 combines this week and next across Illinois.

Wearing his blue Oswego jersey with white numbers and black shorts, Banire welcomed the opportunity for friendly competition – and exposure.

“It’s great, I get to showcase my talent. I feel like everybody here was really good,” Banire said. “I always got that chip on my shoulder, trying to get better every single day. This is the stage that I want to be in, the environment I want to be in, the competitiveness. The spirit, everything is great.”

His coach, Oswego’s Brian Cooney, seconded that thought.

“I love this. This is awesome,” Cooney said. “A good opportunity for kids to compete, kids to do football things when they’re typically not. It’s also a good opportunity for them to get out of their bubble in the weight room. Some of our guys that might think I’m the strongest kid at Oswego, then they see a kid from Minooka, a kid from Joliet Catholic, all these guys. It puts a little hunger in them.”

Banire is hungry, and motivated.

It’s been just over five months since Oswego’s 20-3 loss to Mount Carmel in the Class 8A state championship game. The pain has lingered.

“It motivated me too much, so much,” Banire said. “That loss, it felt like 100 stabs in the back.”

He’s worked to get bigger, stronger and faster. He hit the hole like a rocket as a sophomore, a style that came from hours watching tape of former All-Pro Adrian Peterson, but Banire wants to be even more explosive.

He’s up to 192 pounds, up from 178 at season’s end.

“He’s a specimen,” Cooney said.

“Hard work all day, grinding, putting that work in,” Banire said. “Long nights, early mornings.”

Fixing his running form has also been a priority. At 6-foot-2 with long strides, Banire’s upside is tantalizing, but he was still raw as a sophomore.

“I’ve been working on running low and getting my mechanics right. That’s why I’ve been running track,” Banire said. “I’m trying to be dominant, dominate every single team I go against.”

Western Michigan, Banire’s first offer, was sold, after watching his tape.

“They are a big outside zone school,” Banire said. “They love my explosiveness and they love my physicality.”

Cooney anticipates more schools to follow.

“Being a taller back, he’s going to have to learn to bend, to balance – he can break away, you saw that, during our run he made some significant plays," Cooney said.

“I am not surprised at all [at the offers]. He’s so young, but he’s going to keep me busy. Which is a good problem to have.”

Events and exposure like Thursday’s can’t hurt a kid like Banire, or any of the athletes in attendance.

“Some of the coaches I talked to today said it’s a phenomenal opportunity,” Cooney said. “They can stop by a school, watch a kid work out or run track or go to their baseball game. But to see football specific movement, and position specific movement, I think is a huge benefit to them.”