{{Short description|American football player}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox college football player | name = Jake Renfro | image = 2025-0723 Jake Renfro.jpg | alt = | caption = Renfro at 2025 Big Ten Media Days | school = Illinois Fighting Illini | pastschools = Cincinnati (2020–2022)<br>Wisconsin (2023–2025)<br>Illinois (2026–present) | currentnumber = 57 | position = Center | class = {{redshirt}} Senior | highschool = Providence Catholic (New Lenox, Illinois) | birth_date = <!-- June 5 https://x.com/CoachFick/status/1798369487374430620--> | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 4 | weight_lb = 302 | highlights = * First-team All-AAC (2021) |espn = 4575844 }}
'''Jake Renfro''' is an American college football center who plays for the Illinois Fighting Illini. He previously played for the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Wisconsin Badgers.
==Early life== Coming out of high school, Renfro committed to play college football for the Cincinnati Bearcats over other offers such as Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern and Wisconsin, Columbia, Dartmouth, Princeton, and Yale.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Clark |first1=Mike |title=Recruiting notebook: Jake Renfro picks Cincinnati, Brother Rice nabs a talented transfer and more |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2019/6/27/18761165/jake-renfro-providence-cincinnati-denver-warren-brother-rice-high-school-football |website=Chicago Sun-Times |date=27 June 2019 |access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref>
==College career== === Cincinnati === As a freshman in 2020, Renfro appeared in seven games with six starts.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Potrykus |first1=Jeff |title=Finally healthy, Jake Renfro is ready to serve as the anchor on Wisconsin's offensive line |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2024/08/07/wisconsin-badgers-center-jake-renfro-healthy-ready-to-anchor-offensive-line/74255590007/ |website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=7 August 2024 |access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref> In 2021, he started all 13 games and earned first-team all-American Athletic Conference honors.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Potrykus |first1=Jeff |title=Bolstering their depth, Badgers adding a center from Cincinnati and a defensive end/linebacker from Michigan State |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2023/01/09/wisconsin-lands-center-jake-renfro-from-cincinnati-in-transfer-portal/69789275007/ |website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=9 January 2023 |access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref> However, in 2022, Renfro did not play in any games due to a season-ending knee injury.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stewart |first1=Mark |title=Wisconsin center Jake Renfro knocks off rust after missing spring practice due to injury |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2023/08/06/wisconsin-footballs-jake-renfro-knocks-off-rust-after-missing-spring/70537296007/ |website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=6 August 2023 |access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref> After the 2022 season, he entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Temple |first1=Jesse |title=Wisconsin football gives Jake Renfro chance to fulfill Big Ten dream as transfer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4082316/2023/01/12/jake-renfro-wisconsin-football-transfer-cincinnati/ |website=The Athletic |date=12 January 2023 |access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref>
=== Wisconsin === Renfro transferred to play for the Wisconsin Badgers.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Potrykus |first1=Jeff |title=After long wait, center Jake Renfro set to make his Wisconsin debut: 'I'm ready to go.' |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2023/12/28/center-jake-renfro-set-to-make-his-wisconsin-debut-in-reliaquest-bowl/72033775007/ |website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=28 December 2023 |access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref> In 2023, he only played in the team's bowl game due to leg and foot injuries.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stewart |first1=Mark |title='He is the quarterback of the O-line': A healthy Jake Renfro making difference for Wisconsin |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2024/10/25/finally-healthy-center-jake-renfro-helps-lift-wisconsin-football/75826859007/ |website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=25 October 2024 |access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref> In 2024, Renfro started all 12 games.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Graff |first1=Dillon |title=Jake Renfro Returning to Wisconsin Football for the 2025 Season |url=https://athlonsports.com/college/wisconsin-badgers/wisconsin-football-jake-renfro-returning-2025-season |website=Athlon Sports |access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref>
Renfro struggled with injuries in 2025, only playing four games before undergoing season-ending surgery in October. Following the season, Renfro announced he would be entering the transfer portal after being granted a seventh year.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cox |first1=Lorin |title=Wisconsin Badgers lineman will enter transfer portal and play for 7th college season |url=https://www.si.com/college/wisconsin/football/badgers-center-jake-renfro-transfer-portal-medical-hardship-7th-season-luke-fickell |website=si.com |date=11 December 2025}}</ref>
=== Illinois === On January 5, 2026, Renfro announced he was transferring to the Illinois Fighting Illini.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=IlliniFootball|number=2008312726259417320|date=5 January 2026|title=Welcome to the FamILLy, @JakeRenfro_}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://gobearcats.com/sports/football/roster/jake-renfro/10850 Cincinnati Bearcats bio] * [https://uwbadgers.com/sports/football/roster/jake-renfro/14133 Wisconsin Badgers bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Renfro, Jake}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Players of American football from Will County, Illinois Category:People from Mokena, Illinois Category:American football offensive linemen Category:American football centers Category:Cincinnati Bearcats football players Category:Wisconsin Badgers football players