Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

[FT35]

247 just did a re-ranking of prospects. Julian Pearl is the biggest mover in Illinois. Moving up from 29th to 8th for state rankings (ahead of prospects like Samson Evans and Micah Jones).

https://247sports.com/Season/2018-Football/RecruitRankings?InstitutionGroup=HighSchool&State=IL

I'm happy to see this although it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

This is obviously based on projection, but if he's actually 245 lbs as listed there (I think he said in September that he was up to 255 lbs), then he needs to gain 50-60 lbs in addition to learning a very difficult position. Even gaining that amount of weight makes him "smaller" than a few of the recent recruits on roster or guys we are recruiting. We also don't know how well he'll move once he's put on the weight.

Just looking at some of his highlights this year, there are a couple of clips that show him blocking and he looks pretty good. However, most of the highlights are him at DE.

 

[FT35]

Do the shifts up change our class .84444 or whatever it was?

This is what caused it to shift up to this number. Our three instate guys moved up quite a bit.

I haven't seen or noticed any recent changes with the guys from the other states. Texas and Florida may not have been reevaluated for the 2018 season as of yet? I would be interested to see if a guy like Rivers gets a nice bump.

 

[SampsonRelpenk]

If we didn’t have so many scholarships open up due to transfers I’d consider this more plausible.

This is my thought. But according to 247 he was recruited by Paul Williams. Is his job secure?

 

[mhuml32]

I haven't seen or noticed any recent changes with the guys from the other states. Texas and Florida may not have been reevaluated for the 2018 season as of yet? I would be interested to see if a guy like Rivers gets a nice bump.

Looks like 247 didn't re-rank any of the Texas recruits below #80 in-state.

 

[FT35]

Looks like 247 didn't re-rank any of the Texas recruits below #80 in-state.

That's interesting. Looks like there was no change for Avery.

Also, just out of curiosity, does anyone know if the three recruiting services that make up the composite rankings are Rivals, ESPN and 247? I'm guessing that since Scout.com merged with 247 that those rankings are essentially what 247 is reporting?

 

[Dren1]

Can't be disappointed if you set the bar low

 

[Deleted member 4333]

Ok, so I'm old apparently. What does Littyville mean?

https://247sports.com/college/illinois/Article/PODCAST-Illini-RBs-coach-Thad-Ward-discusses-Littyville-recruiti-74913045

Edit: Sorry for the repeat. I should have read ahead.

 

[BMo79]

Can't be disappointed if you set the bar low

this OL class is every bit as good as last years, and if V Brown commits with Avery that will be to big time DTs so if you want to be depressed thats up to you, but I'm not

 

[FT35]

RB Drake Anderson is visiting Illinois this weekend:

https://247sports.com/college/illin...ck-Drake-Anderson-to-visit-Illinois-111897965

Northwestern, his dad's alma mater, has also offered him.

Are there any other visitors this weekend besides Unije, Anderson and Adams?

Also, Zach Petersen just received offers from Iowa State and Nebraska. Let's hope he values the fact that Illinois was his first FBS offer. He's also been on campus at least twice.

 

[wma500]

I just don't understand how some schools like Notre Dam can get some of the athletes they get with their admissions standards and Illinois (a public school) is always left in the cold with stuff like this

ND has to turn away kids because of academics too. Always good to know where a young man stands with grades early on in the recruiting process.

 

[mhuml32]

Also, Zach Petersen just received offers from Iowa State and Nebraska. Let's hope he values the fact that Illinois was his first FBS offer. He's also been on campus at least twice.

A little scary, but I'm guessing Illinois has a great shot unless Iowa gives him an offer.

 

[mhuml32]

Anyone with insight on why we're not hearing more about I'Shawn Stewart? Has an offer from Illinois and has made three unofficial visits to campus, but haven't heard much.

 

[BigStan97]

So much for DE Petersen visiting. Iowa state offered and now he’s going there this weekend -just saw it on Twitter.

 

[FT35]

So much for DE Petersen visiting. Iowa state offered and now he’s going there this weekend -just saw it on Twitter.

I don't believe he was ever scheduled to visit us this weekend?

I thought he was on campus last weekend? He was also on campus for the Indiana game, right before Illinois offered.

Discouraging news nonetheless but we'll see how much he values the relationship with the staff as well as the fact that we were his first FBS offer.

 

[FT35]

Anyone with insight on why we're not hearing more about I'Shawn Stewart? Has an offer from Illinois and has made three unofficial visits to campus, but haven't heard much.

No insight on this recruitment but he appears to be pretty close to Walker. Now that Walker is out of the picture I wonder if we have much of a chance of landing him?

Weren't those unofficial visits back in 2016? We may have not made much of a push for him since then which is maybe why we haven't heard much about this recruitment?

 

[BMo79]

I don't believe he was ever scheduled to visit us this weekend?

I thought he was on campus last weekend? He was also on campus for the Indiana game, right before Illinois offered.

Discouraging news nonetheless but we'll see how much he values the relationship with the staff as well as the fact that we were his first FBS offer.

I didnt think he was going to be here this weekend either, It will make it a little tougher but guess we will just have to see,

 

[Deleted member 173571]

I didnt think he was going to be here this weekend either, It will make it a little tougher but guess we will just have to see,

He visited last weekend. His dad played at Iowa State and I heard they offered preferred walk-on status (this was as of Monday).

 

[IlliniBrave75]

Jeremy Werner
@JWerner247
·
3m
#Illini
D.Barker
@DB9_Era
After Having A Fantastic Home Visit Lastnight With The Family I Decided To Shut My Recruitment All The Way Down I Am Now 1000% Committed

 

[IlliniNation1010]

If he has been at IMG for two years, he's not raw, by any stretch. I live 15 minutes from IMG and visit there often. Their players are given outstanding nutrition, outstanding strength training and conditioning, outstanding athletic training support.

IMG's coaches are some of the best high school coaches in the country, to the point that many of them could land D-1 jobs at any given time. Many of them played a high level of college or professional football.

In practice, the IMG players practice against studs every single day. This year's ESPN 300 had 12 players from IMG. I reckon next year's will also. Studs everywhere.

In games, the IMG teams only get to play against the best teams in the nation. And every time they go on the field, these outstanding opponents bring their A game, both physically and from a game-plan standpoint.

These IMG linemen are going to be the best prepared they can possibly be. That's the whole point of going to IMG, where they work on their game year-round, and tuition is $72,000 a year.

Good to hear I'm not alone in my evaluation. I heard Easterling & Werner discussing Unije, each describing him as raw. But, yes I'm really hoping we can land him And I'm more than impressed with what they've done at IMG!

 

[IlliniNation1010]

RB Drake Anderson is visiting Illinois this weekend:

https://247sports.com/college/illin...ck-Drake-Anderson-to-visit-Illinois-111897965

Northwestern, his dad's alma mater, has also offered him.

Are there any other visitors this weekend besides Unije, Anderson and Adams?

Also, Zach Petersen just received offers from Iowa State and Nebraska. Let's hope he values the fact that Illinois was his first FBS offer. He's also been on campus at least twice.

I think CB Delano Ware will be visiting, also

 

[BigStan97]

Jeremy Werner
@JWerner247
·
3m
#Illini
D.Barker
@DB9_Era
After Having A Fantastic Home Visit Lastnight With The Family I Decided To Shut My Recruitment All The Way Down I Am Now 1000% Committed ����

The Duo of Dorsey and Barker at TE is one I’m pretty interested in seeing them when Dorsey is a JR and Barker is a So. Could be a heck of a TE pairing.

 

[IlliniNation1010]

Sorry for the typo. Who has publicly stated they are signing in December?

Rivers, Avery, Myers, Norwood, Sandy are the names I've heard

 

[IlliniNation1010]

Frost trying to get Nebby back in the picture. He visited Craddieth today

 

[Deleted member 173571]

He visited last weekend. His dad played at Iowa State and I heard they offered preferred walk-on status (this was as of Monday).

Forgot to mention his uncle played at Illinois during the Tepper years I believe. His uncle visited Illinois with him last weekend

 

[BMo79]

Rivers, Avery, Myers, Norwood, Sandy are the names I've heard

Avery is talking about waiting now or last thing I heard was he was going to wait, so who know

Him and Brown would be Huge for the DL and OL maybe of if green moves over to Center