2025 Rimington Trophy Watch List
2025 Team Captain
2024 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Media)
2024 Academic All-Big Ten
2023 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Media)
2023 All-ECAC Offense
2023 Academic All-Big Ten
2022 Academic All-Big Ten
2025 (Senior): Part of an offense that posted 399 yards versus Ohio (8/28) ... voted a team captain (8/25) ... named to the
Rimington Trophy watch list (8/8) ... picked to the Shrine Bowl 1000 (7/28).
2024 (Senior): Started all 13 games at center ... voted honorable mention All-Big Ten (12/3) by the media ... named to the Academic All-Big Ten list (12/12) for the third time ... rated as the No. 8 center in the Big Ten by
Pro Football Focus ... part of offensive line that earned a spot on the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll (10/10) ... helped the Scarlet Knights to 28.9 points per game, the best mark since 2008, and 4,975 yards of total offense, fourth-most in a season in program history ... team rushed for 175.3 yards per game to place third in the Big Ten for the program's best placement since joining the league ... offense permitted two or less sacks in 9-of-13 games with none allowed five times and converted on third down at a clip of 44 percent, the team's best mark in the Big Ten era ... team also ranked No. 21 nationally with just 4.38 tackles-for-loss permitted per game ... saw action in the Rate Bowl versus Kansas State (12/26) ... team totaled 208 rushing yards in victory at Michigan State (11/30) ... offense rushed for 213 yards with no sacks against No. 24 Illinois (11/23) ... unit allowed no sacks and collected 370 yards of total offense in the win at Maryland (11/16) ... helped the offense total 349 yards and three touchdowns in win over Minnesota (11/9) ... part of three touchdown drives in win over Washington (9/27) ... helped the offense record 422 yards at Virginia Tech (9/21) ... part of unit that rushed for 285 yards with no sacks allowed against Akron (9/7) ... helped the offense rush for 329 yards with no sacks allowed versus Howard (8/29).
2023 (Junior): Started all 13 games at center ... voted honorable mention All-Big Ten by the media (11/29) ... selected to All-ECAC Offense (12/24) ... named to the Academic All-Big Ten list (12/11) for the second time ... part of unit that led the Big Ten in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.08) and ranked fifth in the league in rushing (168.7) ... helped team to 208 rushing yards with no sacks allowed in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl win over Miami (12/28) ... part of 232-yard rushing performance versus No. 1/3 Ohio State (11/4) ... offense rushed for 276 yards on 55 attempts at Indiana (10/21) ... part of the 18-point comeback in the fourth quarter against Michigan State (10/14) ... unit totaled 436 yards of offense against Wagner (9/30) ... offense allowed no sacks and rushed for 256 yards to beat Virginia Tech (9/16) ... helped offense rush for 254 yards versus Temple (9/9) ... part of unit that allowed no sacks in the win over Northwestern (9/3).
2022 (Sophomore): Played in four games with one start at center ... named to the Academic All-Big Ten list (12/9) ... started against No. 11 Penn State (11/19) ... saw extensive action at center at Michigan State (11/12) and helped the offense total 460 yards.
2021 (Freshman): Played in six games with two starts on the offensive line ... started at center in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl versus No. 20 Wake Forest (12/31) ... earned first start at center at Penn State (11/20) ... part of unit that rushed for 218 yards and five touchdowns in the win at Indiana (11/13) ... made collegiate debut at center against Delaware (9/18).
Prior to Rutgers: Coached by Dave Logan at Cherry Creek ... two-time Colorado state champion ... played offensive and defensive line for the Bruins ... finished scholastic career with 160 tackles, 18 tackles-for-loss and eight sacks on defense ... helped Cherry Creek to a 9-0 record, a 5A Colorado State title and the No. 1 overall ranking in the state ... blocked for an offense that featured a 1,000-yard passer and rusher in 2020 ... produced 31 tackles, four tackles-for-loss and a sack as a senior ... contributed 74 tackles, 10 tackles-for-loss and six sacks as a junior in 2019 ... first team all-state by the CHSAA as a junior ... also added 57 tackles and four tackles-for-loss as a sophomore in 2018 ... three-star recruit and No. 19 overall player in Colorado by both
247Sports and
ESPN.
Personal: Teammates with younger brother, Hank Zilinskas.
Major: Performance Psychology (Grad)
