4-star TE Mack Sutter names top five schools

Dunlap (Ill.) four-star tight end Mack Sutter has trimmed his list of top schools down to five.

The 6-foot-5.5, 225-pounder told On3’s Hayes Fawcett on Saturday that he’s down to Alabama, Illinois, Ohio State, Ole Miss and Penn State.

Sutter is the No. 111 overall prospect and No. 6 TE in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 3 player in Illinois.

Sutter has also locked in his official visit dates. He’ll begin in April with trips to Illinois (April 11) and Ole Miss (April 25), then get to Ohio State on May 30 before rounding things out with Penn State (June 6) and Alabama (June 20).

“Every time I go to a school, I pay attention to everything. I look at how the coaches act, the culture and all the little things. Both of those things are important, then the home feeling is too,” Sutter told On3’s Chad Simmons in December. “That is why I want to visit schools again. I want to see if I feel the same on each visit. The fit and culture are important, but where feels like home is the biggest thing for me.”

The in-state Illini are currently trending for Sutter, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM).

“I look at how the staff and the players interact and how they get along. With NIL now, money separates some teams, so I look at that. Who works together? What team is all together as one? Who is not there for the money? I look at those things because I want to be part of a team that is like family and the players together,” Sutter said.

As a junior for Dunlap, Sutter did it all. He caught 35 passes for 505 yards and seven touchdowns and also threw for over 100 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, he tallied 26 total tackles, six sacks and an interception, per MaxPreps.