Illinois Product Recent Commits

<strong>QB: Tyler Selvig, Antelope Valley/Elk Grove</strong> <em><strong>Commitment: Missouri State</strong></em> It’s not common for us to write about JUCO prospects, but with Selvig’s background being that he’s from Illinois and his pure quarterback ability, it was an easy choice. Selvig made his decision yesterday and gave his verbal to the Missouri State Bears. So what are they getting in him? Well, they’re getting an under the radar quarterback prospect that plays with a chip on his shoulder. Coming out of high school, despite putting up plenty of production, Selvig was lightly recruited. Rather than settling on a school, he bet on himself and took the junior college route, and it paid off. On film, Selvig is a true dual-threat quarterback prospect who has a ton of ability running between the tackles. He shows great touch on the fade ball, allowing his wide receivers to run right under it. He’s got great footwork in the pocket and will calmly set his feet and make throws downfield when facing a free rusher. When on the run, he squares his shoulders to his target, delivering a ball with pinpoint accuracy. Bobby Petrino and the Bears got a sleeper with this kid, as he only had two other FCS offers. The potential is certainly there, and I wouldn’t be shocked if Selvig won the quarterback job his first season on campus as they have struggled at the quarterback position. <strong>LB: [player_tooltip player_id="65256" first="Jackson" last="Gerard"], St. Francis</strong> <strong><em>Commitment: Dartmouth</em></strong> I listed Gerard as a wide receiver, but the reality is he played a little bit of everything last season. Gerard has a solid mixture of size at 6’3, 200, and speed, clocking a 4.63 40 yard dash. He’s got a good catch radius and will attack the football in the air. He’s not afraid to take a hit when hauling in a reception either. With the ball in hands, he’s shifty for a bigger guy and will commonly make the first defender miss in the open field. I’m curious to follow his college career because I think he also has potential at both safety and linebacker at the next level. The overall athleticism is most certainly there, and Gerard has shown the willingness to play wherever, so it shouldn’t be an issue. This seems like a natural fit, as Jackson holds a 4.7 GPA and scored a 30 on the ACT. <img class="" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Emba_bxWMAEwlxe?format=jpg&amp;name=large" alt="Image" width="482" height="371" /> <strong>RB: [player_tooltip player_id="20236" first="Sean" last="Allen"], Homewood Flossmoor</strong> <strong><em>Commitment: Illinois State</em></strong> I said on Twitter that [player_tooltip player_id="20236" first="Sean" last="Allen"] was one of the midwest's biggest sleepers at running back, and I meant it. This kid is so explosive on film and features great acceleration &amp; top-end speed. Allen has great vision and can plant &amp; stop on a dime in an instant. He’s got soft hands out of the backfield and is a major mismatch when guarded by linebackers in man coverage. He does a good job of being patient when following his puller and will burst through the hole once he spots a seam. This is a kid who rushed for over two thousand yards last fall and twenty-six touchdowns, yet only had two FBS offers. To me, based on talent, Allen is a Power-Five kid. Yes, he’s on the smaller side, but the reality is NFL tailbacks are starting to become shorter and shorter. My hat goes off to Illinois state because they went out and got a guy who can come in and contribute day one. Speaking of Illinois State, man, have they put together a stacked 2021 recruiting class! <strong>OL: [player_tooltip player_id="20289" first="Ryan" last="Stewart"], Lincoln-Way East</strong> <em><strong>Commitment: San Jose State</strong></em> I’ve been high on Mr. Stewart for quite some time; the only question mark I had was his weight. Last season, he played at two hundred and thirty pounds &amp; played extremely well. However, that weight is not close to ideal at the Division I level. This off-season, though, he’s bulked up and shown he’s ready for what’s next. This kid is athletic for a big man and has great turnover on his knee drive. He plays with great hand placement and consistently gets his paws on the defender’s breastplate. The consistent movement you look for in an offensive lineman is there, as is the speed to reach a defensive end. Stewart has a ton of upside, and with him gaining weight has his best football ahead of him. I’m excited to see what his senior tape looks like this winter, as I would not be shocked if a Power-Five school came in late on him if it looks good. <img class="alignnone wp-image-69038" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/11/stew-1-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="443" height="291" />