Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

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Dan

Dan
Admin
Dan
Welcome to the Illinois Football Recruiting Thread :illinois:

2025 Illini Football Commits

1) OL Michael McDonough (January 19th, 2024)
2) QB Carson Boyd (January 27th, 2024)
3) OL Griffin Rousseau (January 29th, 2024)
4) DB Andre Lovett (March 11th, 2024)
5) DB Xanai Scott (March 12th, 2024)
6) WR Brayden Trimble (May 20th, 2024)
7) DL Cameron Brooks (June 9th, 2024)
8) DL Isaiah White (June 10th, 2024)
9) DB Desmond Straughton (June 23rd, 2024)
10) DE Erik Gayle (June 26th, 2024)
11) RB Cedric Wyche (June 29th, 2024)
12) DB Robert Jones (June 29th, 2024)
13) ATH Jershaun Newton (July 4th, 2024)
14) TE Grant Smith (September 16th, 2024)
 
#2      
phats22
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#6      
therealmiket86
BWBW said:
IMHO, we need a couple 4* (or better) linebackers.
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We need a linebacker that can make plays sideline to sideline when teams spread us out. Still the biggest need on defense is Dt. Bray, Farrell and McCullum are all a year or 2 away from being ready to play in the BIG. This defense has worked best when we had ng like Calvin Avery and Daxon to plug up the middle. Edward’s is a different type of player and gets up the field which is good but it also creates holes. Having the space eaters up front kept blockers off Rosiak. It also helped that last year teams would focus on Johnny and it would free up other guys.
 
#7      
mhuml32
Defensive line is going to a great discussion. Still have half a season to go, so there will be a mix of injuries and improvements to come. Similar to offensive line, there's always a need to add more. Keeping that in mind:

- TeRah is a senior but I wonder if Illinois tries a Hail Mary petition since he only played in five games in 2021. Seems very unlikely but if it's accepted I would feel a lot better about next year's interior line.
- Bray is going to rack up close to 300 snaps this year (projected) and play a good chunk as a freshman. I'm assuming the staff thinks he's going to be a starter or quasi-starter the following year and put up 400 snaps.
- Farrell is going to have close to 175 snaps this year (projected) and this is his first year playing. It's been an understandable mixed bag. Probably hoping he's playing 200-225 snaps next year and pops at the end of next year.
- Everything written about Farrell can also be applied to Warren. Both have been underwhelming in the morass of college football but playing as expected when you remember they are redshirt freshman. I doubt they combine for 400-500 snaps next year, so the best hope is one takes a leap and other is comfortable as a rotational player.
- McCullom is only playing a few snaps but it's been opimistic considering he's a true freshman. He'll likely step forward to ~175 snaps next year.
- Sledge has only played 15 snaps and he's in his third year. It's not impossible but he likely has longer odds to pan out and be a contributor than everyone above him.
- There are other players that are playing edge and likely will soak up some interior snaps depending on opponent and scheme, like Barna, but it's tough to assess how much that will be utilized based on portal pickups, body development, etc.

Noticeably missing is someone like TeRah who can play 450-500 snaps in a 13-game season and be a difference maker. Getting someone like that in the portal is extremely expensive because every blue blood program will also want them and have more spending power to acquire them compared to Illinois. You would have to overspend to get someone like that, which doesn't align with the program's vision. The other option is acquiring a couple guys who played at lower levels who have been starters there but you expect they can give you 250 snaps and raise the unit's floor while also increasing depth. It's not going to be a difference maker but could take the running defense from liability to average.
 
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#8      
ChiefGritty
mhuml32 said:
- TeRah is a senior but I wonder if Illinois tries a Hail Mary petition since he only played in five games in 2021. Seems very unlikely but if it's accepted I would feel a lot better about next year's interior line.
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Not to say he wouldn't be welcomed back, but this feels a bit like pre-current era thinking.

This defensive line is bad and must and I'm sure will be THE focus in free agency this offseason.
 
#24      
Dbell1981
Joel Goodson said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1846172301764841650

general comment: the level of recruit interest in Illinois is clearly increasing and that's encouraging
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Anyone know if this is Easton Bakers brother? I know Easton was heavily recruited by Buh and we were all concerned if he would want to stay after this year. If indeed this is his brother, this seems like a good sign he wants to stick around.
 
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