Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

[Twangers]

On the high school side wasn’t it a little late in the cycle to have a huge impact on the 2020 class?

Correct. And that’s ok. If we can get in on one or two specific HS seniors, I think this cycle can only be described as a resounding success. Of course there are misses. We rue the days we lost Mookie and Joe Moore. Jalen St. John was personally disappointing to me, that’s a kid we should have had from everything I had heard but overall if we finish right with a couple kids, I’ll be very pleased with the outcome. My point, however, is that at this juncture we are not in a position to choose between HS seniors, transfers or JuCos. This late in the game, as it relates to the defensive line and the secondary, we’re a bit stuck. The kid Finau to me is really just “eh”. But if he wants in we more or less have to take him.

 

[SouthFLILLINI]

Correct. And that’s ok. If we can get in on one or two specific HS seniors, I think this cycle can only be described as a resounding success. Of course there are misses. We rue the days we lost Mookie and Joe Moore. Jalen St. John was personally disappointing to me, that’s a kid we should have had from everything I had heard but overall if we finish right with a couple kids, I’ll be very pleased with the outcome. My point, however, is that at this juncture we are not in a position to choose between HS seniors, transfers or JuCos. This late in the game, as it relates to the defensive line and the secondary, we’re a bit stuck. The kid Finau to me is really just “eh”. But if he wants in we more or less have to take him.

What don't you like about Finau? I've watched one HS and one JC highlight. He looks serviceable. The only noticeable thing I see is he stands up and uses his strength which won't work on this level. What else am I missing?

 

[thunderwear]

Correct. And that’s ok. If we can get in on one or two specific HS seniors, I think this cycle can only be described as a resounding success. Of course there are misses. We rue the days we lost Mookie and Joe Moore. Jalen St. John was personally disappointing to me, that’s a kid we should have had from everything I had heard but overall if we finish right with a couple kids, I’ll be very pleased with the outcome. My point, however, is that at this juncture we are not in a position to choose between HS seniors, transfers or JuCos. This late in the game, as it relates to the defensive line and the secondary, we’re a bit stuck. The kid Finau to me is really just “eh”. But if he wants in we more or less have to take him.

I like him and shipton.

 

[Twangers]

Fairly simple, I think he’s a decent “0” and that’s a bit of a problem as it limits where, when and with whom you can play him in this defense. His ceiling is that of a 25-30% snap guy. That may be a big plug for us at this time (I would go so far as to say it definitely is) but it’s value limited. And unfortunately, there’s not much room for him grow due to his makeup and his age. We don’t get to develop this kid for 4 years.

In an ideal world this scholarship would go to somebody else but in this case, we’re a little stuck.

 

[Chukwuwumba]

That doesn’t have anything to do with being NFL Draft ready (And he likely couldn’t improve himself in that area with another year here anyway). I can throw a rock and hit a hundred kids who went between rounds 1-4 who couldn’t run the full tree at the time they were drafted. Jeremy Maclin was a first round pick out of Missouri who could only run 1 route. If you have talent and test well, you’ll get picked and Bhebe has talent. If he gets a decent analysis, I wouldn’t blame him if he jumped.

I can see josh getting feedback a la Reggie last year, and he definitely should. What would help his draft grade more is his athletic profile, which would not include pre draft workouts, I think. Grade would be raised after individual workouts. Good comparison to me is DK Metcalf lite. X receiver profile, vertical routes. Has athletic profile. Needs to have a good 40 time. Has shown great ball tracking skills.

 

[Twangers]

I can see josh getting feedback a la Reggie last year, and he definitely should. What would help his draft grade more is his athletic profile, which would not include pre draft workouts, I think. Grade would be raised after individual workouts. Good comparison to me is DK Metcalf lite. X receiver profile, vertical routes. Has athletic profile. Needs to have a good 40 time. Has shown great ball tracking skills.

Oh, he 100% needs to ask for an evaluation. What he does with that evaluation is different (He needs to have a person around that can actually decipher what evaluation means. The NFL Advisory committee is NOTORIOUSLY conservative) but if Josh views football as a potential profession, he needs to request an evaluation.

It would certainly be tough to see him go, next year could be special with him back in the lineup but ultimately this is what our program wants and needs. We need to put kids into the league.

 

[SampsonRelpenk]

To take this body by Lou appreciation thread one last thought farther, back before the season began Scott Beatty had on the starting DBs from the 2008 Rose Bowl team on. Kevin Mitchell and Justin Harrison are impressive young men.

I rewatched the Wisconsin game from 07 on BTN recently, and holy cow, those were two of the most vicious hitters I've ever seen in O&B.

 

[Deleted member 656517]

Unfortunately, that’s not how this is playing out.

I was thinking more 2021 and on with that post

 

[TDCumm16]

Oh, he 100% needs to ask for an evaluation. What he does with that evaluation is different (He needs to have a person around that can actually decipher what evaluation means. The NFL Advisory committee is NOTORIOUSLY conservative) but if Josh views football as a potential profession, he needs to request an evaluation.

It would certainly be tough to see him go, next year could be special with him back in the lineup but ultimately this is what our program wants and needs. We need to put kids into the league.

heard on a podcast this morning from a few NFL analysts they are projecting this drafts WR class as the deepest in years. Something like 7-8 kids already projecting first round grades.

Bebe certainly seems like he’ll test well and the kid is so articulate - it wouldn’t shock me if he was a prospect people fell in love with ThE measurables through the draft process, but there is a lot of talent likely to come out this year he’ll have to compete with

 

[Twangers]

heard on a podcast this morning from a few NFL analysts they are projecting this drafts WR class as the deepest in years. Something like 7-8 kids already projecting first round grades.

Bebe certainly seems like he’ll test well and the kid is so articulate - it wouldn’t shock me if he was a prospect people fell in love with ThE measurables through the draft process, but there is a lot of talent likely to come out this year he’ll have to compete with

I don’t doubt that but you hear comments like that every year, very literally. Someone earlier was talking about there being 7-8 WRs in the Bama-LSU game who are better than Bhebe (Debatable but fair). A couple of those kids, like Chase and Terrance Marshall are not currently draft eligible and are likely candidates for 2021. The kid Justin Ross from Clemson is also a sophomore with the same profile. If all these young kids declare, you’re gonna repeat the cycle and have the same type of conversation next season and the season after and the season after.

Bhebe isn’t going to be able to pick a soft year to enter the draft and hope it works for him and those rankings (Which mean nothing to NFL decision makers, something you may have alluded to without intention) should in no way influence his decision. His evaluation and his belief in his readiness, those are the only determining factors.

 

[Deleted member 656517]

BeBe reminds me of Brian Quick if that name rings a bell to any of you. In a soft wr draft year he’ll shoot up draft boards. He’s best off sticking around for another year

 

[Twangers]

BeBe reminds me of Brian Quick if that name rings a bell to any of you. In a soft wr draft year he’ll shoot up draft boards. He’s best off sticking around for another year

That’s the kid from App State who flamed out with the Rams. I don’t see that in his game.

He’s only best off if his evaluation tells him he’s undrafted. The advisory committee is NOTORIOUSLY conservative. Can’t remember if it was two years ago or the past year but they gave out nine first round grades to underclassmen. Nine. They constantly undersell. A 5th-6th evaluation could very literally put him into day two or early day three of the draft. He’ll have to decide if that’s good enough.

 

[Deleted member 656517]

BeBe reminds me of Brian Quick if that name rings a bell to any of you. In a soft wr draft year he’ll shoot up draft boards. He’s best off sticking around for another year

Here's Brian Quick highlights. He's a mirror imagine of BeBe and he went in the 2nd round in a bad wr draft

 

[Twangers]

Here's Brian Quick highlights. He's a mirror imagine of BeBe and he went in the 2nd round in a bad wr draft

That’s neat and all but Bhebe is nothing like Quick if you look deeper than height and weight and next years draft won’t be a bad WR draft. This comparison doesn’t paint us any sort of picture of what Josh should or should not do.

Again, he’ll get the evaluation and go from there. None of this other non-comparable stuff matters.

 

[Illiniprime]

I dont know if this counts for much, but I run an Illini page on Instagram and the man himself Antonio Doyle started following. IG: illini.prime

 

[NotThatPierre]

His evaluation and his belief in his readiness, those are the only determining factors.

I'd add a couple of other determining factors.

Can I stomach another year of school? That's a factor for a number of kids. A bit different in the NBA where they have other options, but I have no doubt some kids leave because they can't bear another year of school.

Will my draft stock improve? Not relative to the other talent, but will another year on the field improve my standing in the eyes of the NFL. We've seen it go both ways. The additional year solidifies a position or elevates it. On the other hand, injuries can happen as well as deficiencies being exposed.

 

[Chukwuwumba]

heard on a podcast this morning from a few NFL analysts they are projecting this drafts WR class as the deepest in years. Something like 7-8 kids already projecting first round grades.

Bebe certainly seems like he’ll test well and the kid is so articulate - it wouldn’t shock me if he was a prospect people fell in love with ThE measurables through the draft process, but there is a lot of talent likely to come out this year he’ll have to compete with

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1194669081116303360

 

[Twangers]

I'd add a couple of other determining factors.

Can I stomach another year of school? That's a factor for a number of kids. A bit different in the NBA where they have other options, but I have no doubt some kids leave because they can't bear another year of school.

Will my draft stock improve? Not relative to the other talent, but will another year on the field improve my standing in the eyes of the NFL. We've seen it go both ways. The additional year solidifies a position or elevates it. On the other hand, injuries can happen as well as deficiencies being exposed.

Both strong points.

The problem with the draft is that rankings (Especially those done before the scouting combine) are completely, entirely 110% useless. NFL decision makers don’t care one iota about draft rankings, which is why every single draft cycle there’s a bunch of kids that are taken well before the pundits expected and a bunch of kids who fall lower than the pundits expected. GMs fall in love with kids for all sorts of reasons. Size, speed, interviews, medicals, the weather that day and just as importantly what the coaches around them think about the player. So, here’s a third point to your two above: What does Lovie Smith think about Josh’s draft stock? Does Lovie think he’s ready? If he does, he will tout him to the people in the NFL and there’s not many people who know and are as well respected within that league as Lovie. That will help Josh tremendously, should it apply. And if it doesn’t apply, he comes back. Win-win.

 

[Deleted member 654622]

Ok all this talk about Bebe into the recruiting thread is fun and all, but I assumed I would get more action on the JMarick Woods question. So I'm gonna ask again.
Anyone know anything about us recruiting him?

 

[Twangers]

Ok all this talk about Bebe into the recruiting thread is fun and all, but I assumed I would get more action on the JMarick Woods question. So I'm gonna ask again.
Anyone know anything about us recruiting him?

Sorry, missed this but I can’t help regardless. I don’t have any intel on this market or this kid.

We desperately need safety help. I’m willing to take a shot.

 

[IllinifaninIL]

I dont know if this counts for much, but I run an Illini page on Instagram and the man himself Antonio Doyle started following. IG: illini.prime

Much better than getting blocked

 

[Joel Goodson]

Not gonna lie: I always considered Doyle to be yet another daydream. It sure sounds like we have a legit chance. Landing him would be huge, both roster-wise and recruiting-wise.

 

[OskeeWowzer]

Not gonna lie: I always considered Doyle to be yet another daydream. It sure sounds like we have a legit chance. Landing him would be huge, both roster-wise and recruiting-wise.

This is the closest to an insider as I would ever consider myself, but as I’ve said before, my brother works at Lutheran North, and I have friendships and connections with the football team. While I won’t say we’re front runners for Doyle (I don’t want to lead one way or another), I will say Illinois is VERY much in play here. VERY much.

 

[thunderwear]

This is the closest to an insider as I would ever consider myself, but as I’ve said before, my brother works at Lutheran North, and I have friendships and connections with the football team. While I won’t say we’re front runners for Doyle (I don’t want to lead one way or another), I will say Illinois is VERY much in play here. VERY much.

I’ve reached out to a&m Boosters and I haven’t heard anything back on Doyle. But seeing him follow an Illini pride profile, makes me think that we are leaders

 

[Twangers]

Some of the 2021 names I heard this weekend would be very strong signs should they come to fruition.

That cycle is looking much stronger than it did 6 weeks ago, 6 wins for the...win.