Illinois Football Recruiting Thread
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Watkins is a huge get. I remember McGee saying that Illinois want to create a triangle of recruiting in Chicago, St. Louis, and Cincinnati. Other than Steve Hull, has Illinois gotten any other recruits from the Cincy area in the past? I'm intrigued about this pipeline and what the future holds. Watkins and Bonner seem like very quality players
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HatTrikPatrick
- Peoria, Arizona
Welcome Howard!! Can't wait to see you get down field and put Hafiz on his back!!
Very nice!
Was that Zook's best class or was it 2006?
FT35
- Naperville
According to 247, 2007 was Zook's best class:
http://illinois.247sports.com/Season/2006-Football/Commits
http://illinois.247sports.com/Season/2007-Football/Commits
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
In Lovie I trust!!!!!
2008 was just a tick better but both suffered through non- qualifiers and guys who washed outhttp://illinois.247sports.com/Season/2008-Football/Commits
Seems like I recall a running back from the Cincy area. Maybe Ty Douthard?
Douthard yes. Bud Golden too
FT35
- Naperville
Good catch. Wasn't even thinking about 2008.
There's a lot of guys who ended up playing in the NFL on these lists. I think Robert said there were 25 guys on the 2009 roster who ended up playing in the NFL (maybe that includes practice squads?). That team won three games!
The number of highly rated players isn't the only thing that's impressive about these classes. There are a number of guys who weren't highly rated coming out of high school who ended up in the NFL (Allen, Mercilus, Tavon Wilson, Asamoah, etc.).
MoCoMdIllini
- Montgomery County, Maryland
Was Chris Norwell from the Cincinnati area?
It was ever so slight. 2008 was just insane.
Liuget 1st
Mercilus 1st
Jenkins 1st
LeShoure 2nd
Wilson 2nd
Allen 2nd
Palmer 6th
Staples Free Agent Still in NFL
Foster- Undrafted played 2 years Saints
illynifan34
That's a winner!!
- OH
Yes, Anderson.
I believe so
2006-2009 Zook was recruiting key players. I can recall most players recruited during that time frame so I don't think his wash out rate was higher than others. 2006 set the tone with Juice and some future NFL. Plenty of key player pick-ups through 2009, in 2010 recruiting took a major drop. Zook also had a couple high ranking players that just didn't pan out, but he still had a good amount sent to the NFL.
In you look at Beckman's classes, talk about washing out or little impact players. Many of his top recruits also have transferred or have been passed up in the depth chart.
I think Lovie and staff are really hand picking talent. He seems to have spent more time with recruits and family before they commit. Not only is his player ratings higher, I believe it will go higher as he closely picks between high level JC and high school players.
In you look at Beckman's classes, talk about washing out or little impact players. Many of his top recruits also have transferred or have been passed up in the depth chart.
I think Lovie and staff are really hand picking talent. He seems to have spent more time with recruits and family before they commit. Not only is his player ratings higher, I believe it will go higher as he closely picks between high level JC and high school players.
ivwilsoniv
- Aurora, IL
From illinois.247sports.com: "Cincinnati (Ohio) Colerain offensive lineman Howard Watkins announced his verbal to Illinois on Monday evening. The Illini beat out the likes of Cincinnati, Illinois and Louisville for one of their top targets in the trenches."
We're so good at recruiting, we're beating ourselves! That's hard to do!
http://illinois.247sports.com/Article/Howard-Watkins-commits-to-Illinois-Illini-49920563
We're so good at recruiting, we're beating ourselves! That's hard to do!
http://illinois.247sports.com/Article/Howard-Watkins-commits-to-Illinois-Illini-49920563
Kramer116
- Chicago
Article also states he's the 15th commit but I only count 14.
Unless they are counting Carney as the 15th to be.
I believe 2006 ranked slightly higher, but 2007 had the highest average player rating. 2006 average player rating was ~2.9.
Our 3 OL recruits are already college-sized!
- 6'5" / 310
- 6'5" / 280
- 6'5" / 336
We are definitely recruiting Road Graders. Opposite of Beckman who recruited Tight End types with room to grow. These guys are massive
This is what happens when your OC (and HC) want to be able to run the ball, rather than use bubble screens to emulate the run. Thank god, it's about time
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