Gage LaDere is a 6'2", 260-pound defensive lineman from Frankfort, Illinois who wears No. 94 for the Northwestern Wildcats. He attended Lincoln-Way East High School, where he also competed in wrestling and received the Chicago Bears Community Champion Award. LaDere committed to Northwestern on October 19, 2025, selecting the program over offers from Central Michigan, Kent State, Bucknell, Cornell, and Penn. He shares his high school with current Wildcats Jack Florentine and Caden O'Rourke.