Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

#326      
Username
247sports.com

Sean Rice, St. Laurence , Linebacker

Multi-sport athlete that also plays basketball. –––– FOOTBALL 2025: Finished junior season with 123 tackles (9 TFL), 4 INT, 3 FR, 2 PBU and 1 FR.
247sports.com 247sports.com

I looked at his profile, and while his rating isn't super impressive, I note the following:

-ranked for the first time just 2 months ago
-offers from 4 other B1G schools.
-plays BB and appears to be athletic and versatile which sounds great for our new D scheme and special teams.

Not that BB is waiting for my stamp of approval, but I think this is a very solid addition. I think he'll be more highly rated by the time the ratings are finalized.
 
#328      
IlliniWu
Joel Goodson said:
revisiting Brady: @ 6' 4" 220 (with a year left) with his speed (4.5 40), he very well could blossom into a monster LB. really want. this kid should be way higher rated, IMO
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If that's verified 4.5 then for sure. Would add to the versatile and athletic athletes they've been getting. I'm going to watch the tape but if those are verified and he has even solid tape (Which I'd expect with this Illini offer now), I expect a lot of traffic soon.


Asked earlier but would be the first from that school since Josh Brent and HooMan. Both were NFL players and with those measurable and the ability to develop players from this staff, the sky is the limit.
 
#329      
IlliniWu
Username said:
247sports.com

Sean Rice, St. Laurence , Linebacker

Multi-sport athlete that also plays basketball. –––– FOOTBALL 2025: Finished junior season with 123 tackles (9 TFL), 4 INT, 3 FR, 2 PBU and 1 FR.
247sports.com 247sports.com

I looked at his profile, and while his rating isn't super impressive, I note the following:

-ranked for the first time just 2 months ago
-offers from 4 other B1G schools.
-plays BB and appears to be athletic and versatile which sounds great for our new D scheme and special teams.

Not that BB is waiting for my stamp of approval, but I think this is a very solid addition. I think he'll be more highly rated by the time the ratings are finalized.
Click to expand...


Good get. Solid, athletic and room to grow. Really like the in-state momentum here.

Should have some more good news soon.
 
#331      
blackdog
ChiefGritty said:
Two things seem true there, both the academic hurdles to get them in the door are not what they once were for a variety of reasons, plus in the transfer portal era it seems that those waters aren't as heavily fished by the SEC as they used to be.

Anyway, I ask again, what's the latest on the Juco DL that was mentioned by Bielema? That one piece would help us tremendously.
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Asked and answered
 
#333      
mhuml32
illini0440 said:
Remember this board 2 weeks ago? lol
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When people were pointing out that recruiting had not been going well to that point? Yes
Have things improved? Yes
Are things as good as last year's recruiting class? Still, no


Also, folks were really measured in their comments. No one was hysterical, no one claimed folks needed to be fired.
 
#334      
ChiefGritty
Dan said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/2055378064733835297

247sports.com

COMMIT: Three-star 2026 JUCO DL Joshua Davis signs with Illini

Davis chose Illinois over several FBS scholarship offers
247sports.com 247sports.com
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blackdog said:
Asked and answered
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Good news!

How he fits: Davis will need to continue to add strength to prepare for trench battles in the Big Ten, but he shows great quick-twitch athleticism and a high motor to disrupt gaps and cause havoc in the pocket, which are the priorities for Illinois in their new 3-3-5 defense under Bobby Hauck. Given his rawness and adjustment ahead, Davis probably won't be counted on for a significant immediate impact. The Illini's rotation likely consists of Carter Janki, Joe Barna, Pat Farrell, Darrell Prater, Demetrius John and Isaiah Thomison. But Davis could compete for some snaps, especially with redshirt freshman Cameron Brooks out for the year with an injury.
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Prater and Thomison are very, very shaky options imho (they weren't starters in the MAC and CUSA), so I tend to suspect Davis has a good shot to move up the rotation along with Connor Sullivan.

I'm not sure how the rotation will be different in the 3-3-5, but in recent years we've been aggressive about rotating bodies to a sometimes comical degree. Encouraging to see us get a little closer to the ability to do that.

Still way worse than last year and the weakest position group on the team, but depth of bodies is the resource you need to stave off disaster.
 
#335      
Mr. Tibbs
Username said:
247sports.com

Sean Rice, St. Laurence , Linebacker

Multi-sport athlete that also plays basketball. –––– FOOTBALL 2025: Finished junior season with 123 tackles (9 TFL), 4 INT, 3 FR, 2 PBU and 1 FR.
247sports.com 247sports.com

I looked at his profile, and while his rating isn't super impressive, I note the following:

-ranked for the first time just 2 months ago
-offers from 4 other B1G schools.
-plays BB and appears to be athletic and versatile which sounds great for our new D scheme and special teams.

Not that BB is waiting for my stamp of approval, but I think this is a very solid addition. I think he'll be more highly rated by the time the ratings are finalized.
Click to expand...
he makes my all haircut team .

also , it would be awesome to see him wear #97
 
#339      
BlueFlag
ChiefGritty said:
Good news!



Prater and Thomison are very, very shaky options imho (they weren't starters in the MAC and CUSA), so I tend to suspect Davis has a good shot to move up the rotation along with Connor Sullivan.

I'm not sure how the rotation will be different in the 3-3-5, but in recent years we've been aggressive about rotating bodies to a sometimes comical degree. Encouraging to see us get a little closer to the ability to do that.

Still way worse than last year and the weakest position group on the team, but depth of bodies is the resource you need to stave off disaster.
Click to expand...

Reports do have Darrel Prater looking good in Spring practice . . .

"Transfer defensive lineman Darrell Prater worked his way into the No. 1 role at nose tackle by the end of spring practice, giving Illinois a needed anchor as it rebuilds the front."

https://www.on3.com/sites/orange-blue-news/news/spring-football-recap-top-five-illini-newcomers-for-2026/
 
#341      
therealmiket86
Also Sullivan played like 5 snaps last year. If he’s in the rotation we are in trouble.
Demetrius John and Pat Farrell will play big roles on defense.
 
#342      
ChiefGritty
BlueFlag said:
Reports do have Darrel Prater looking good in Spring practice . . .

"Transfer defensive lineman Darrell Prater worked his way into the No. 1 role at nose tackle by the end of spring practice, giving Illinois a needed anchor as it rebuilds the front."

https://www.on3.com/sites/orange-blue-news/news/spring-football-recap-top-five-illini-newcomers-for-2026/
Click to expand...
If Prater is better than Carter Janki and that's all we've got in that NT spot, we are going to be in a lot of trouble.

Prater started 3 of the 14 games he played in as a fourth year junior for the SP+ 102nd rated defense at Jacksonville State last year. When he committed to that school it was in FCS and he never became a full time starter there.

We were sending higher level players than that in waves the last two years.

There's no sugarcoating what it means for a football team when your opponent can blow the DL off the ball and have free rein into the second level on every snap. It can just submarine everything, we've seen that here in the past.
 
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