The senior tailback is off to Tulane following this season. Before he begins his journey at the next level, Ball is ready to make one last run in his final campaign with the Pirates. Ball may be one of the fastest players in the state, as he can accelerate faster than most. He ran a 4.4 40 in the offseason, and that speed translates to games. Ball also runs with tremendous power and low pad level that allows him to bounce off tacklers both on the perimeter and in between the tackles. Come Friday night, Ball won’t be hard to miss with that speed.

The Tulane commit has been showing why he is considered one of the best running backs in Illinois. He has been torching defenses with 926 rushing yards on the year. It’s been difficult for opposing tacklers to contain him. He is a shifty back that once he finds daylight can take it to the house. He has scored 13 touchdowns already through 4 games.

NUMBER FOUR:

I was fortunate enough to be able to witness a young Dominik Ball Dominik Ball 5'9" | 185 lbs | RB Palatine | 2024 State IL as a freshman way back when my now-wife and I were living in Chicago, and even then it was obvious the young RB was bound for FBS or P5 football, as his build, speed, and instincts form the backfield looked, felt, and played well above his age. Fast forward a couple of years and he’s entering the fall of his senior year as a Tulane Green Wave commit, one of the best RBs in the state, and owns a powerful and electric play style that is thrilling to watch and a nightmare to match up against. The 5’9, 185 lber. did own a P5 offer from the KState Wildcats, and is a first-choice type recruit that P5 programs may tuo if they need a running back during the fall and later into the 2024 cycle, including the home state Illini. Ball is a compact, powerful, energizer bunny of a RB with a terrific blend of speed and power that bobs, weaves and strikes through defenses like Floyd Mayweather. His big-play speed, burst, and ability to get to top speed quickly help him take advantage of the slightest slivers in a defense, and he can cut at top speed and maintain his momentum, as well as cut back across the grain to create Sportscenter Top-1o-worthy TD runs. Speaking of Youtube and SC Top-10 runs, Ball possesses excellent contact balance and can bounce off big collisions and run through, spin-off, or step through tackle attempts, as well as stay upright through dog piles and rebound off bodies in eye-popping fashion. If you give him space or miss that initial tackle it’s game over, especially when he gets the edge, and additionally, he’s got good hands out of the backfield and is willing to lead block and get his hands dirty as well. It all comes down to his extremely strong lower body, which helped him post 168 rushes for 1,390 (8.3 YPC) yards and 16 TDs plus 21 receptions for 368 yards and 3 more TDs last fall, which led to 8A First Team All-State, All-Area, All-Conference, and  Conference MVP honors. This kid’s a P5 talent and a heckuva pickup for the Green Wave. Get out of his way this fall.

The Palatine running back measures in at 5’9, 185. While Ball may seem undersized at first look, he has the speed and power to make up for it. Ball can absolutely fly, possessing the break away speed that makes Ball a threat to score a touchdown every time he touches the ball. He did that often in his Junior season campaign, posting 19 total touchdowns and over 1,700 total yards. Even when Ball is bottled up in the backfield, he showcases a variety of moves to escape and gain positive yardage. Whether its making multiple cuts or lowering his should, Ball always seems to fall forward. The Tulane commit his poised for a massive senior season before he heads off to the next level.

I have to pat myself on the back here. I knew Palatine RB Dominik Ball Dominik Ball 5'9" | 185 lbs | RB Palatine | 2024 State IL was bound for the bright lights of the upper echelon of college football when I watched him carve up a Hoffman Estate defense as a young freshman back in the spring of 2021. A powerful and balanced RB then, he’s done nothing but step his game up since, and saw an excellent junior season pay off on the recruiting trail this winter. Kansas State, Central Michigan, Indiana State, Eastern Michigan, Ohio, Illinois State, Tulane, Northern Illinois, South Dakota, and Fordham have all offered scholarships since January, and the list is only getting bigger. In 2022, he posted 168 carries for 1,390 yards and 16 TDs plus 21 receptions for 368 yards and 3 more touchdowns offensively, and was named his conference’s offensive MVP and 8A First Team All-State for his efforts. Ball, the son of a bodybuilder and a a decorated track athlete, opens his tape with an eye-popping run that saw him break left, cut back right, then cut back left and upfield, all while cutting, spinning, and breaking off tackles from what looks like all 11 defenders out on the field. His speed is legit, and if you give him daylight he’s gone. He also has a strong lower body that helps him run through and spin off weak and strong tackle attempts alike, and I love how smooth he is when he cuts and leaves defenders grasping at air. Some of the group tackle attempts he broke through in 2022 is flat out ridiculous, and just like I saw when he was a freshman, he’s a powerful, balanced, and explosive RB that continues to develop and get better. I’d offer him in a second if I was a D1 college coach. I’ve loved watching your journey, Dominik, and your senior year is about to be monstrous.

Mr. Ball is easily one of the top RBs we have in Illinois for the class of 2024 and he showcased why Friday night finishing the game with 4 TDs off 20 carries for 171 yards. This young man was able to do so with deadly foot quicks through the hole which he uses to break long runs when doing so. Pair this with his vision to find running lanes quickly and ability to break weak grab tackles to play through contact you can see why he had such a dominant performance in Round 2 of the playoffs. Not to mention his elusiveness to make defenders miss in open space and threat he can pose in the air attack. Safe to say Palatine is very happy to have this very talented young man on their team. Twitter