ROCHELLE — Charlie Jandak wanted to find a school that would challenge him both in the classroom and on the gridiron. When Jandak visited the Washington University in St. Louis campus earlier this school year, the senior lineman said he felt right at home.

Jandak wrapped up his high school football career as one of the top linemen in the state, and he’ll be continuing on at the next level after committing to the WUSTL program. Jandak will become the second Rochelle Township High School student-athlete in three seasons to suit up for the Bears, joining former Hub standout and current WUSTL linebacker Alex Harvey.

“I was looking for a school with a good academic and athletic balance, and WashU felt like the right school for me,” Jandak said. “I’ve been to a lot of different schools, but it feels different when I walk on the WashU campus… The football program is great and everybody wants to be there. Their football program has a family-like atmosphere similar to the Rochelle program, and that’s what I was looking for from a school… It feels like a place that’s meant for me.”

Jandak spent four years with the RTHS football program and three seasons on the varsity team. He started at tight end his sophomore season before transitioning inside and playing multiple guard and tackle positions over his junior and senior seasons. He earned All-Conference First Team honors from both the Northern Illinois Big 12 and the Interstate 8, and his senior campaign garnered a Class 5A All-State Honorable Mention from the IHSFCA.

“I think Charlie is a special kid and he has a unique set of athletic abilities,” Rochelle head coach Kyle Kissack said. “Not only is he physically gifted, but the mental capacity he has to excel at each of those positions is significant. His work ethic and his physicality set him apart… We haven’t had many offensive linemen receive recognition at the state level, and that speaks to his durability, his mental capacity and the work he put in daily to excel in all of those areas.”

The WUSTL Bears currently play in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, which includes North Central College, where Jandak’s brother William and former RTHS student-athletes Eddie Villalobos and James Hart achieved NCAA Division III National Championship honors this season. Jandak said he’s looking forward to not only reuniting with a former RTHS teammate in Harvey, but facing off against his former teammates at North Central.

“I’ve always been a competitor,” Jandak said. “I want to compete against the best players in the country… I’ve talked with Alex a lot and he’s definitely helped me with the recruiting process and getting to know the school… I’m super excited to compete against North Central, and it will be exciting to see how we stack up against that team next season. I’ve always enjoyed competing with my brother, and I’m excited to see who’s going to be better.”

The 6-foot-2, 265-pound lineman will represent Rochelle in the 2020 IHSFCA Shrine Game this summer before beginning his collegiate career with the WUSTL Bears. Jandak helped lead the Hubs to an IHSA 4A State Quarterfinal appearance his sophomore season and an IHSA 5A Playoff berth his junior season. He said he plans to major in systems science and engineering.

“I’ve always been interested in engineering because I like being creative,” Jandak said. “Engineers have to work on their own and figure out solutions to problems, and that really interests me… Systems engineering is a lot more lenient in that I can explore different areas before I figure out what I want to specialize in.”