BananaShampoo
Captain 'Paign
- Phoenix, AZ
My top 3 all-time impact commitments (at the time of commitment):
1. Sergio and Marcus
2. Marcus Liberty
3. Jeremy Richmond
This is not necessarily the best players, or highest ranked, or best careers. But ranked based on impact at the time of commitment.
I'd put Tilmon in the Top 3 just based on the level of recruit and the implication of the impact of said recruit compared to where the program stood at the time. When Liberty committed, Illinois was already cemented near the top echelon of programs and was coming off some pretty good recent success. He just helped push the program to the highest level. Sergio and Griffin came at a time when the program had been in a lull, so they belong there. Same with Richmond. Richmond proved that Bruce COULD recruit and bring in a top player in the State of Illinois, and got the ball rolling with the next couple classes even if he didn't ultimately pan out. I think Tilmon does the same, and provides an even bigger boost because he fills a position of critical need, and gives the Illini a kind of player they haven't had in a LONG time. I think he also really gets the ball rolling and helps us land a stellar 2017 class (and then maybe 2018).
My order would be:
1. Tilmon
2. Richmond
3. Serge/Griffin
v
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4. Liberty
5. Harper
6. Dee
7. Deon Thomas
8. Meyers