Land of Lincoln 2024s Rising on the Recruiting Trail pt. 2
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Happy Friday, everybody. Although it’s currently an NCAA quiet period, meaning coaches can only have face-to-face contact with prospects at their college campus, the recruiting trail is still hot and we are seeing a ton of FBS and FCS offers…
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Continue ReadingHappy Friday, everybody. Although it’s currently an NCAA quiet period, meaning coaches can only have face-to-face contact with prospects at their college campus, the recruiting trail is still hot and we are seeing a ton of FBS and FCS offers go out to talented Land of Lincoln juniors, sophomores, and even freshman. In fact, so many noteworthy offers are going out to Illinois 2024 football recruits that I have a second edition of my recent PrepRedzoneIL feature for our lovely subscribers. A culmination of years of hard work and focus, the critical junior year offseason has been more than fruitful for these 13 Illinois products and we are excited to highlight how they are boosting their stock, solidifying their D1 status, and of course, rising up on the recruiting trail. Keep it up, fellas!
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We’re kicking things off with a junior right at the genesis of his recruitment’s explosion, as 6’3, 205 lb. Geneva OLB and three-sport standout Tommy Diamond is three days out from his first college opportunity. It was a solid one, as the prestigious FCS Ivy League competitor UPenn reached out with a roster spot on Tuesday. It makes sense too, as Diamond holds a 4.07 unweighted GPA and earned Academic All-Conference distinction in addition to his First Team Dukane All-Conference nod for his gridiron exploits this past fall. He’s also been in contact with Miami (OH) for a few months and just earned a Western Michigan junior day invite to boot. On tape, it’s clear he’s a versatile OLB, and showed good things in run support, pass defense, and when rushing the QB, and I love how comfortable he is in space. With sideline-to-sideline range and the pursuit speed to run down plays from the backside, Diamond is also physical when attacking blocks and tackling and can play out in the flats as an off-ball OLB or succeed inside the box as a standup EDGE. I’m also intrigued by his bend and lateral agility when rushing the passer. These skills, not to mention his 6’3, 205 lb. frame that is capable of adding a ton more good weight, makes me confident in that offer list growing, and growing quickly. Good luck the rest of this basketball season, Tommy!
Highlights
The CCL has, have been, and always will be manufacturing massive linebacker prospects, and the Mt. Carmel Caravan have a good one on their hands in 6’3, 230 lb. Parker Startz. Still only 16 years old, Startz helped the Caravan to a 14-0 undefeated Class 7A state championship this past fall and has seen his personal and team success pay off with five FBS offers since January 20th, with Marshall, Miami (OH), Ball State, Toledo, and Army joining the four MAC competitors who offered the ‘backer last spring. His 2022 highlights show off an ILB who is a hammer at the point of attack and efficient, conscious, and consistent in his footwork and body positioning in his reads and responsibilities. He doesn’t waste steps, reads his keys and the field well, and closes quickly. Good comfortability in space for a LB for his size and thumps ball carriers like you’d hope a 230 lber. would. Production and success against good competition, successful film, and college-ready size are a few of the many things going for Startz as a prospect.
Highlights
The Aurora’s product alluring size (6’5, 215) and positional versatility (DE/TE/LB/WR) from 2022 immediately jump off the page when looking at Waubonsie Valley’s Julian Johnson, and things get better from there. After a busy fall on the recruiting trail and about half a dozen unofficial gameday visits, Johnson’s hard work began to pay off in January when Northern Illinois reached out to become his first college football offer. After that good news on January 4th, the likes of Ball State, Miami (OH), Western Michigan, and Illinois State all joined in his recruitment, and his size, dynamic ability, and 81″ wingspan should all help him to be an eye-catcher on the summer camp circuit. During the fall, Johnson displayed a knack for coming down with contested catches as a pass catcher and used his long strides to cover a ton of ground in pursuit and has some good reps running down QBs who are rolling out to the opposite side of the field. Also shows some giddy up as DE out of his stance and when he gets the ball in his hands offensively. He looks good on both sides of the ball and it’s hard to not love his length and how much ground he covers with those gazelle-like strides. More offers coming!
Charles Miles
Charles Miles
Another Mt. Carmel junior, 6’1, 185 lb. DB Charles Miles saw his offer sheet get going during the summer camp szn as he earned offers from Central Michigan and Eastern Illinois last June. This resulted in some fall unofficials, and in February things picked up again as Western Michigan and Illinois State offered FBS and FCS scholarship offers, respectively. The state champion cornerback possesses length, clean footwork and good technique, and will come up and enforce the run when called upon. Yet another Caravan D1 prospect to know.
Continuing the legacy of stud Simeon prospects and representing the Wolverines 2024 class is 6’3, 260 lb. defensive lineman Mikeshun Beeler. A city champion and All-City DE in 2022, Beeler posted 77 tackles, 21 TFLs, 10 sacks, and 6 FFs and saw his in-season production pay off in a B1G offer from Nebraska in late October. NIU and Ohio then joined in November, and since the season ended Beeler saw Bowling Green State, Western Michigan, Marshall, Ball State, Kent State, Southern Illinois, Illinois State, and Buffalo. That offer sheet is expanding quickly, and once you turn on the tape you can see why. Beeler has a ton of ways he can blocking attempts, and I especially love how he uses his hands to push/pull, chop/rip, or just straight up bull rush tackles and guards far into the backfield. He also shows some twitch, can get skinny through the hole when necessary, and is overall an impressive athlete who is bigger, faster, stronger, and better than his opponents. That’s always a good mix for success, and Beeler has some eye-popping plays of him slamming RBs down one-handed and running down QBs like a 6’3, 260 lb. cannonball. I would not want to be a OT facing off against Simeon’s DL in 2023.
Coming out of talent-rich Naperville, Central High School All-Conference and All-Area lineman Grant Ellinger is having himself a strong spring on the recruiting trail and has earned offers from UPenn, Dartmouth, Columbia, Indiana State, and Fordham since early February. Ellinger is strong and mean, which makes for an excellent combo on film, and I love his strong punch, low pad level, square base, and violent leg drive that makes for seemingly easy and definitely powerful finishes. Also has a great pass set, a big motor, and a nasty streak that I would love to have on my OL. Honestly, I’m surprised this offer list isn’t longer! Keep an eye out for this Redhawk going forward.
Highlights
The well-built linebacker out of Yorkville has one of my favorite qualities you can find in a defensive prospect and sports a monster multi-sport background as a state champion and All-State wrestler. Ben Alvarez is coming off a very recent 220 lb. state championship and can add the hardware to his growing mantle piece that includes two All-Conference and All-Area nods as a linebacker on the gridiron. The 6’2, 220 lber. is also a team captain and holds a 4.4 unweighted GPA. After a MAC offer from Central Michigan in April of 2022, things are back up and rollin’ as Eastern Michigan, Lindenwood, Columbia, Air Force, Dartmouth, and Army have all thrown their names in the mix for Alvarez’s talent. This past fall, he posted 50 tackles, 9 TFLs, a sack, a pick-six, and a defensive touchdown to go along with 22 carries for 123 yards and 2 TDs and four receptions for 60 yards as a fullback. The speed shows up on tape first, as the 220 lber. drops underneath an out-route for his INT and flies upfield in pursuit of the ball in impressive fashion for a ‘backer of his size. He’s also got some solid offensive reps showing off balance and tackle-breaking ability with the ball in his hand, and I love some of the hits he put on opponents in 2022. It’s been a heckuva junior year for Alvarez so far. Keep it going, young man!
Highlights
The Maine South junior is fresh off his first offer as FCS Illinois State reached out with a scholarship opportunity on February 21st. 6′, 170 lb. WR Maurice Densmore was an All-Conference and Academic All-State pick this past fall after posting 47 catches for 705 yards for 7 total TDs while adding 10 tackles, a PBU, an INT, and a fumble recovery in five games of defensive action. Soft hands, great ball tracking skills, and the body control to contort himself and consistently pull off tough catches to his back shoulder, high in the air, and on 50/50 balls. I also like some of his footwork as a route runner and when he lines up as a CB. Densmore is a good athlete with a big catch radius who is going to fight for every ball thrown his way. More offers will be coming.
Highlights
Ethan Hogg
Ethan Hogg
Yet another Loyola Academy prospect with intriguing size, 6’4, 215 lb. junior Ethan Hogg helped the Ramblers to an 8A state championship in 2022 and saw his recruitment take off in January when the Ohio Bobcats became college offer #1 for the 2024 outside linebacker/EDGE. After that, Lindenwood, Kent State, and Army have joined the fray, and with the amount of time left in this offseason and how popular of a destination Loyola is for college programs it’s a safe bet that the offers are going to continue to roll in this spring and summer. As his frame would suggest, Hogg has great length, and I like his understanding of defending the edge of the defense and being patient in his reads when scraping down the LOS or keeping contain. Hogg is also strong enough to beat blocks with power, quick enough to beat OTs to their outside shoulder, and can pull off twists and stunts all over the field. The 215 lber. is also a good tackler and comfortable in space and lined up all over the defense in 2022. Tons to like in his large and still-growing skillset.
Coming out of talent-rich Southern IL and the especially loaded St. Louis metro area north of the border, O’Fallon Township 6’2, 160 lb. cornerback Jordan Suggs posted 41 tackles, 5 PBUs, and 3 INTs in 2022 and has seen his stock boost in the D1 stratosphere since February. Ball State reached out first, and shortly after Indiana State, Western Michigan, Southeast MO, Lindenwood, Akron, and Illinois State have offered scholarships in less than a month. Suggs is a patient DB, and is natural & comfortable in zone, able to quickly sneak into passing lanes or lay a big hit when he comes up and breaks on a route. I also like his physicality in press or off-man coverage and at the catch point, and that aforementioned patience made him very productive against shorter, underneath routes all around the field. Also laid some great hits in 2022 and had himself some strong reps against powerhouse East St. Louis.
Gary Rutherford
Gary Rutherford
Gary Rutherford, and his 6’3, 200 lb. frame, were a big part of Peoria’s thrilling state championship run and title game and played WR, LB, FS, FB, and OLB last fall for the Lions. He’s also a competitive wrestler and track & field athlete, and is fresh off two new FCS offers from Western Illinois and Illinois State, both of which rolled in in February. Long, strong, and dynamic, Rutherford has great range and uses his long strides to cover a ton of ground in run and pass defense. When you combine that with his motor and speed and you see some impressive reps on his junior tape of him running down ball carriers fall downfield or making plays on out-breaking routes from the MLB position or from the backside of the LOS. Also strong and physical when tackling or taking on blockers and can be an aggressive and productive presence on the edge when he lines up there. I like Rutherford as a LB at the next level and his physical skillset, as well as motor and general hustle, would make for an awesome addition to a collegiate LB room. College coaches: get at him!
Devion Reynolds
Devion Reynolds
I have and always will love Lake County high school sports and had a good buddy in college come out of the Carmel Catholic football program, so DB Devion Reynolds has been on my radar for a little bit now and I was ecstatic when his recruitment kicked off at the end of January when Northern Illinois offered a FBS scholarship from the MAC. Illinois State has also joined in on the offer sheet, and he should see more FCS and FBS scholarship opportunities come in before things are all said and done. In his junior tape, the 6’1, 170 lber. displays length, comfortability in zone coverage, and has that unteachable knack of always being around the football. You can see him communicating, reading, and quickly reacting to developing route concepts as they unfurl in front of him, which is always a good skill for a DB to have, and I like how he fires out of his breaks as well. Keep it up, Mr. Reynolds!
PRzIL is wrapping things up with another CCL and Loyola Academy junior as 6’3, 270 lb. Kyle Baltazar has also seen his recruitment take off since the Ramblers 8A state championship season ended. Also a state champion lacrosse player, Baltazar has earned offers from Indiana State, UPenn, Fordham, and Lindenwood since early February and is far from done on the recruiting trail. The OG is a mobile and efficient when pulling and folding, shows off good leg drive and hand placement, and has some solid reps of him winning pass sets and using DL’s momentum and poor body positioning against them. Baltazar is a violent, in-your-face type of offensive lineman and laid some big blocks in 2022. I’m a big fan of the comfortability he’s showing in pass protection. The size, quality of competition, and state championship experience are all working in his favor as well. If you need D1 lineman than Wilmette is a must-stop!