Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
#102      
Illiniam1984
TheDrinkinLincoln said:
I think they are underwhelmed by the programs the offered players came from. Many of us are stuck in the mindset that we need players that are cast off from bigger programs instead of being a destination for smaller school players who developed in their time at JUCO and G5 programs.
Click to expand...
I’m actually fine with some of the offers and their overall approach but yes a few of the offers are bit underwhelming so far. Especially if their goal is to take the next step and get to the CFP. I don’t know maybe I just need to let the process play out more.
 
Last edited:
#103      
mhuml32
TheDrinkinLincoln said:
I think they are underwhelmed by the programs the offered players came from. Many of us are stuck in the mindset that we need players that are cast off from bigger programs instead of being a destination for smaller school players who developed in their time at JUCO and G5 programs.
Click to expand...

Agreed. So far I'm more interested in FCS/G5 guys coming up instead of P4 guys looking for playing time.
 
#104      
illini0440
TheDrinkinLincoln said:
I think they are underwhelmed by the programs the offered players came from. Many of us are stuck in the mindset that we need players that are cast off from bigger programs instead of being a destination for smaller school players who developed in their time at JUCO and G5 programs.
Click to expand...
This is why film exists and stats.....you can look at production.

Jayvon James: close to 500 snaps played at tackle.
Miles McVay: Huge talent, couldn't get the job from Proctor at Bama.
Chase Sowell: Fits our need at the X spot. 6'4, over 1,300 yards the last 2 years.
Javonnie Gibson:Also an X guy, 78.3 Pff grade, 6,3 1000yds last season TD's
James Thompson: Started at Wisky before injury last season, 31 pressures, 12 TFLs, 5 sacks
Davis Blay: 73 on PFF, 10 TFLs, 6 sacks
 
#105      
AZILL
TheDrinkinLincoln said:
I think they are underwhelmed by the programs the offered players came from. Many of us are stuck in the mindset that we need players that are cast off from bigger programs instead of being a destination for smaller school players who developed in their time at JUCO and G5 programs.
Click to expand...
Illiniam1984 said:
I’m actually fine with some of the offers and their overall approach but yes a few of the offers are bit underwhelming so far.
Click to expand...
I would rather have transfers that are on an upward trajectory, as opposed to transfers that may have been ranked much higher but failed to produce or see the field at upper tier programs. Verifiable progress is a good thing. The rising players are easier, and likely cheaper, for us to sign. I guess you have to have a mix when in the position we are in.
 
#106      
mhuml32
illini0440 said:
This is why film exists and stats.....you can look at production.

Jayvon James: close to 500 snaps played at tackle.
Miles McVay: Huge talent, couldn't get the job from Proctor at Bama.
Chase Sowell: Fits our need at the X spot. 6'4, over 1,300 yards the last 2 years.
Javonnie Gibson:Also an X guy, 78.3 Pff grade, 6,3 1000yds last season TD's
James Thompson: Started at Wisky before injury last season, 31 pressures, 12 TFLs, 5 sacks
Davis Blay: 73 on PFF, 10 TFLs, 6 sacks
Click to expand...

I'm a big fan of Thompson. Reminds me of Alec Bryant from a production standpoint / talent level. He played quite a few snaps in 22 and 23 and was really good in 2023. He tore his pec in 2024 during fall camp (and somehow came back to play in final season game). I would feel a lot better about the defensive line if Illinois gets him.
 
#107      
DevILLDawg
illini0440 said:
This is why film exists and stats.....you can look at production.

Jayvon James: close to 500 snaps played at tackle.
Miles McVay: Huge talent, couldn't get the job from Proctor at Bama.
Chase Sowell: Fits our need at the X spot. 6'4, over 1,300 yards the last 2 years.
Javonnie Gibson:Also an X guy, 78.3 Pff grade, 6,3 1000yds last season TD's
James Thompson: Started at Wisky before injury last season, 31 pressures, 12 TFLs, 5 sacks
Davis Blay: 73 on PFF, 10 TFLs, 6 sacks
Click to expand...
Let me translate,
We want to see former 4 and 5 star guys who haven't lived up to their incredible size and potential showed in high school. 3 star dudes who have been great at lower level programs don't look as cool on X reposts. We don't care about eye-popping film at 'Northwestern-Wesleyan-A&M' or if they are hungry to prove themselves in the B1G.
 
#108      
therealmiket86
TheDrinkinLincoln said:
I think they are underwhelmed by the programs the offered players came from. Many of us are stuck in the mindset that we need players that are cast off from bigger programs instead of being a destination for smaller school players who developed in their time at JUCO and G5 programs.
Click to expand...

I would rather take a kid that balled out at a G5 program than a kid who couldn’t get off the bench in the sec.
 
#109      
illini0440
mhuml32 said:
I'm a big fan of Thompson. Reminds me of Alec Bryant from a production standpoint / talent level. He played quite a few snaps in 22 and 23 and was really good in 2023. He tore his pec in 2024 during fall camp (and somehow came back to play in final season game). I would feel a lot better about the defensive line if Illinois gets him.
Click to expand...
Give me Thompson, Sowell, there are a couple other tackles I want that we haven't offered yet 1 of them and McVay, Blay and and OLB and I'll be good.
 
#110      
therealmiket86
mhuml32 said:
I'm a big fan of Thompson. Reminds me of Alec Bryant from a production standpoint / talent level. He played quite a few snaps in 22 and 23 and was really good in 2023. He tore his pec in 2024 during fall camp (and somehow came back to play in final season game). I would feel a lot better about the defensive line if Illinois gets him.
Click to expand...

Grab Thompson, Blay and another DT for depth and I’ll feel good. We are replacing a ton of snaps with very young players
 
#111      
DevILLDawg
therealmiket86 said:
Grab Thompson, Blay and another DT for depth and I’ll feel good. We are replacing a ton of snaps with very young players
Click to expand...
I don't think you can overstate how incredible it would be to catch a 5 star in state guy like McVay and the second go around. More so to prove to other in state talent that you can stay home, get developed, then get to the league.

Especially, in the hottest of Illinois hotbeds...East St Louis.
 
#112      
therealmiket86
DevILLDawg said:
I don't think you can overstate how incredible it would be to catch a 5 star in state guy like McVay and the second go around. More so to prove to other in state talent that you can stay home, get developed, then get to the league.

Especially, in the hottest of Illinois hotbeds...East St Louis.
Click to expand...

I’m all for adding McVay. The guys I listed play dline
 
#114      
mhuml32
illini0440 said:
Give me Thompson, Sowell, there are a couple other tackles I want that we haven't offered yet 1 of them and McVay, Blay and and OLB and I'll be good.
Click to expand...

Agreed. McVay makes me nervous. Ignoring my personal thoughts, he's a fairly unknown as a college tackle. Do they want to take a risk on a player who's only played sparingly to be an important cog for the offense to step forward next year? He only played ~100 snaps last year, mostly against bad teams, and it wasn't great.
 
#115      
illini0440
mhuml32 said:
Agreed. McVay makes me nervous. Ignoring my personal thoughts, he's a fairly unknown as a college tackle. Do they want to take a risk on a player who's only played sparingly to be an important cog for the offense to step forward next year? He only played ~100 snaps last year, mostly against bad teams, and it wasn't great.
Click to expand...
That’s why you take 2
 
#116      
217sports
Sowell might be hard -- Parents both athletes at Florida. From Texas. But would be a great addition
 
#117      
FreshlySqueezed
mhuml32 said:
This will be impossible to enforce unless there is new congressional legislation. It’s exactly the nightmare being experienced by the NCAA. I love (LOVE) Whitman, but he’s pitching a fever dream vision of college sport that is a strawman in the current landscape.

For those of you wanting more governance, the good news is the November elections likely created the right landscape to get new congressional legislation passed on college sport. The bigger question is whether it’s going to truly level the playing field (as being stated by ADs across the country) or whether sacrifices will be necessary to pass.
Click to expand...
I don't see this at all. In fact, I see the exact opposite.

You think the new administration is going to put more regulation on things? I'm not buying that whatsoever.
 
#124      
HensonHall71
EyeoftheIllini said:
LB from Rhode Island. Had 12 sacks this year, including 1 against Minn along with 7 tackles.
https://twitter.com/x/status/1866543194453971415

www.espn.com

A.J. Pena 2025 Stats per Game - NCAAF - ESPN

The 2025 NCAAF season stats per game for A.J. Pena of the Rhode Island Rams on ESPN. Includes full stats, per opponent, for regular and postseason.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
Click to expand...
I want that. I’ll take guys that were highly productive at the G5 level over non-impact, highly touted, recruits from big programs all day long

This is how we will build a winning program consistently is winning the transfer portal with guys like this rather than the 5 star transfer that couldn’t get on the field for his former team
 
#125      
Illiniam1984
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back