Game log · Week-by-week
2020 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | CMP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | YPA | QBR | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 9 | L 24-31vs Purdue | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Total | — | — | — | — | — | — |
#63
Alex Palczewski
Senior offensive lineman for Illinois. 2020: 1 tackle.
6′6″ · 315 lb · Mount Prospect, IL
All-AmericanIllinois 2020 alumnus
Recruiting
3★
OT recruit
No. 1284 nationally · Signed with Illinois
No college snaps yet.
His full recruiting profileThe story
4 offensive lineman for Illinois. 2020: 1 tackle.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Illinois in 2017.
- Named All-America (SN) in 2022.
- Named All-America (SN) in 2022.
Alex Palczewski
Three seasons at Illinois, two different head coaches: Lovie Smith and Rod Smith. In 2022 the league put his name on paper for the first time: All-America (SN). The receipt on tape: 1 tackles against Purdue, Week 9, 2020.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
How it ended
Three seasons at Illinois, an All-American season (2022) — his college career is complete.
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
2017
- Signed with Illinois3-star out of Prospect
2022
- All-Americafirst
- All-Big Tensecond
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🥇
ALL-AMERICA
Named All-American (2022)
1 selectors honored him
🎖
ALL-BIG TEN · 2ND TEAM
All-Big Ten 2nd team (2022)
Coaching lineage · 2017–2020
2 coaches2017–2018
Illinois
2020era →
Rod Smith
Illinois
Coaching transition mid-career: Lovie Smith → Rod Smith. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2020 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2017Illinois2-10HC: Lovie Smith · Balanced, slow tempo
2018Illinois4-8HC: Lovie Smith · Run-heavy
2020Illinois2-6HC: Rod Smith · Run-heavy
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Not enough tracked stats yet to summarize this season.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bret Bielema
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
A three-star recruit at offensive line for Illinois -- now a real, honored All-American.
Offensive line play doesn't show up in a box score. Here's what actually tells you whether he's good.
Quality starterThree-star HS recruitAll-America (2022)All-Big Ten (2022)
Illinois has produced 5 All-Conference offensive linemen and 1 All-American. 7 have gone on to the NFL Draft since 2016. Isaiah Adams went on to the NFL out of this room (2024).
Selector Grid · 2022
AP—
FWAA—
AFCA—
WCFF—
SN1st
SI—
Game log
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology