Willowbrook High School graduate Enrique Cruz Jr. was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round of the 2026 National Football League Draft on Saturday.
Overall, he was the 179th player picked during this year’s draft.
Cruz, an offensive lineman who graduated from Willowbrook in 2021, began his collegiate football career with Syracuse University.
He spent the 2025 season with the University of Kansas Jayhawks.
Cruz was the starting right tackle for the Jayhawks in all 12 of their 2025 games, and earned All-Big 12 honorable mention honors at the end of the season. The team posted a record of 5-7 during the 2025 season. The Kansas program’s website lists Cruz as 6 feet, 6 inches tall and 320 pounds.
