Forgot JC Davis.
Illinois Football Recruiting Thread
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I think a lot of people have been saying that for the last 3 years, they just don’t have a platform, lol.
Further proving my point… thanks Fly
It's worth noting that especially Franklin (Ole Miss) and JC Davis (UI) were considered pretty big gets when they portaled from the smaller school. They were top ~150 portal guys at the time, IIRC. That's a bit different from some of the others listed
Indiana has had a lot of success with G5 players
Everyone will point to the exceptions and the guys we’ve found. But the math for transfers is… (not counting juco commits.. which are not good at the hit rate).
2021: 7 power 5 commits (3 contributors). 2 non power 5 commits (1 contributor).
2022: 3 power 5 commits (2 contributors). 6 non power 5 commits (0 contributors).
2023: 2 power 5 commits (2 contributors). 5 non power 5 commits (4 contributors).
2024: 6 power 5 commits (5 contributors). 7 non power 5 commits (6 contributors).
2025: 8 power 5 commits (7 contributors). 10 non power 5 commits (6 contributors).
Total:
26 P5 commits (19 contributors).
30 non power five commits (17 contributors). Or a hit rate of 73% versus 56%.
Yes I’m sure smaller school guys are cheaper. And we’ve done okay at hitting on some diamonds in the rough. But on the field production? It’s been the former P4 guys
2021: 7 power 5 commits (3 contributors). 2 non power 5 commits (1 contributor).
2022: 3 power 5 commits (2 contributors). 6 non power 5 commits (0 contributors).
2023: 2 power 5 commits (2 contributors). 5 non power 5 commits (4 contributors).
2024: 6 power 5 commits (5 contributors). 7 non power 5 commits (6 contributors).
2025: 8 power 5 commits (7 contributors). 10 non power 5 commits (6 contributors).
Total:
26 P5 commits (19 contributors).
30 non power five commits (17 contributors). Or a hit rate of 73% versus 56%.
Yes I’m sure smaller school guys are cheaper. And we’ve done okay at hitting on some diamonds in the rough. But on the field production? It’s been the former P4 guys
Franklin had 4 catches for 38 yards at ole miss.
Remove the first 2 years, and the data looks quite a bit better? Perhaps Staff improved?
But, he was a beast at UTSA and a big get for Ole Miss at the time
The only exception I see from your post is that we had one really bad year with finding G5 talent. It was after year 1 of Bielema and missing a bowl. Other than that, the hit rate is about 70% for both.
I know it’s popular for fans to freak out about players transferring out, but fans do need to be realistic as to why players transfer out. Just saw Cole Rusk’s post on IG about loving Illinois. There’s no doubt in my mind he really would rather stay, but there’s more things to think about than just your feelings. It’s incredibly stressful environment.
All I ask is that you give the players who are transferring out grace. The vast majority of them would probably prefer to stay, but factors mean they need to go elsewhere.
All I ask is that you give the players who are transferring out grace. The vast majority of them would probably prefer to stay, but factors mean they need to go elsewhere.
But he was still a G5 player.
I believe we're 100% when we get the right guy.
We just have to get the right guy.
Denzel Daxon … He doesn’t get the love he deserves …
That Ohio program has been good to us …
Can’t forget Chase Brown either … Western Michigan … That dude turned out to be pretty decent I’d say …
Donny Navarro … Believe he was Valpo ???
Just adding to the point … Lot of talent at the lower level …
Look across NFL teams … Guys at lower level that stick in the league for a long, long time … Cream always rises to the top …
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This is a great point. I was recently talking to the mom of a D1 player who is in the portal, and she lamented that despite the sums of money being thrown out by some very nice schools, she wishes her son could have played a decade ago without all the added stress of these decisions. It has weighed a lot on all of them, and that's a lot for a 19 year old to consider.
Angelo McCollum gives me a good dose of Johnny Newton vibes.
Which I think defaulting to guys with traits is a better avenue for us to get to the next level
Listen we can all make cases for the small school kids who have done it well. Good for them. Give me all the transfers from P4. Ive seen us swing and miss on far too many juco guys to see it as a realistic possibility to build up this years team. In the past we’ve needed holes filled… this year is WAYY different. You can fill holes with fliers and projects. You can build a whole defense with them.
Listen we can all make cases for the small school kids who have done it well. Good for them. Give me all the transfers from P4. Ive seen us swing and miss on far too many juco guys to see it as a realistic possibility to build up this years team. In the past we’ve needed holes filled… this year is WAYY different. You can fill holes with fliers and projects. You can build a whole defense with them.
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Chuck Nuggets
Dip your nuggets in my staff source sauce.
I have no idea what's going on. Keeping up with rosters is too much work for me anymore.
But I know I trust Bret Bielema, and in the end the roster will settle out to where it was always supposed to be.
But I know I trust Bret Bielema, and in the end the roster will settle out to where it was always supposed to be.
He and his family will be missed, but good for Olano. Make as much as you can, he most likely will not be kicking in the NFL. 15 years ago, yes, but his leg isn't strong enough for the NFL currently IMHO
Stepp did an interview with Werner recently. Good listen. Bowick was the first and only name he said as someone who showed out in the bowl practices.Never doubt The Shark ...
If you want to include recent jucos commits (not in portal) in the data (which I didn’t include), it’s not really any better. Recent jucos for example include Donovan turner, Kante this year. Sanders, Daniel brown, Chase Canada, Kellen Francis last year. Even 2023 wasn’t good at the juco level Patterson, schuster, Jenkins, leys, ford, capka jones.
So in the last 3 classes of juco commits we had 1 starter in Patterson who was brutal. With basically no other production outside of 31 yards from Capka Jones and 4 tackles for Daniel brown. Juco recently has not been good to us and I think it’s not a way we should be looking to overhaul a roster.
So in the last 3 classes of juco commits we had 1 starter in Patterson who was brutal. With basically no other production outside of 31 yards from Capka Jones and 4 tackles for Daniel brown. Juco recently has not been good to us and I think it’s not a way we should be looking to overhaul a roster.
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
I hope we can finally snag our much-desired, highly-craved-for 300yd tight end. It's been 35 years?
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