NIU-bound Brennon Zeng, the quiet one, lives up to underrated label for Batavia

Brennon Zeng could be described as the quiet one among Batavia’s talented trio of senior receivers but expect to be hearing plenty more about him this season.

His coaches already have.

This summer, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Zeng became the team’s third senior receiver to receive a Division I scholarship, committing to Northern Illinois. He joins wideout Darin Ashiru and tight end Thomas Prescott, who had earlier committed to Western Michigan and Wyoming, respectively.

“Brennon has worked so hard and he’s the most underrated of the guys,” Batavia offensive coordinator Sean Anderson said. “It’s great that he’s getting recognized now.

“He just goes to camps and shows out. He doesn’t say much, but he’s just so solid and good.”

Zeng, Ashiru and Prescott are part of a loaded skill group for the Bulldogs.

They will be primary targets for senior quarterback Michael Vander Luitgaren, a three-year starter who led the Bulldogs (10-3) to the Class 7A state semifinals last season.

In mid-May, Vander Luitgaren started Batavia’s recruiting bonanza, choosing Wyoming.

“Mike can dish it out to them pretty good,” Anderson said of Vander Luitgaren, who threw for 2,708 yards and 31 touchdowns last season.

Vander Luitgaren completed a team-high 61 passes to graduated Brett Berggren, but also connected 55 times to Ashiru, 28 to Zeng and 19 to Prescott.

Zeng confirmed that he takes after his father Brian, who played running back and receiver in high school at Glenbard West and briefly at Butler in a college career cut short by a back injury.

Brennon’s varsity debut last season came against dad’s alma mater.

“It was a big wake-up call,” Zeng said. “That team was real physical. I was getting my feet wet, getting some touches and playing my role. This year will be a big step up.”

Batavia coach Dennis Piron pointed out that adding nearly 20 pounds of muscle since the start of his junior season and posting strong camp numbers helped Zeng raise his recruiting profile.

“He was always so quiet and kind of did his thing,” said Piron, who retired from teaching in 2025 and is likely in his 38th and final season with the program, including 16 as the head coach.

Zeng cited the North Central College camp.

“It was pretty quiet until I went there and ran a pretty good 40 time, a 4.4-something, and NIU invited me to their camp,” Zeng said. “After that one, they gave me the offer.”

A center fielder for Batavia in baseball, Zeng views NIU as a home school, having played baseball on the Huskies’ field and attending football games there with his high school team.

He carries a 4.91 GPA, and like the other three recruits for Batavia, plans to graduate early.

“It was a tough decision because I wanted to play my senior baseball season,” Zeng said. “I just think football is a little more important. The NIU coaches also think it’s a big advantage.”

First things first, however.

Vander Luitgaren has said the players want to average 40 points this season and send Piron out with a third state title to go with the others the program won in 2013 and 2017.

“We’re confident and definitely shooting for the stars when it comes to goals and trying to exceed them,” Zeng said. “My goal is to help as much as I can. The title is the important thing.”

Anderson, meanwhile, is counting on him.

“I’ll be more comfortable throwing Brennon possession throws where he’ll box guys out and go up and get it a bit more,” Anderson said. “Speed-wise, he might be close to Berggren.

“Brennon is just so solid with his hands and catches the ball away from his body that he’ll make a whole lot of contested catches with guys on his hip.”