In-depth with new Illini commit Eddy Fish

Illinois got a commitment on Monday from offensive lineman Eddy Fish from Groton (Mass.) Lawrence Academy.

The 6-foot-6, 294 pound Fish made the call for Illinois after vising officially over the weekend. He is commitment No. 21 for Illinois in the class of 2016, with signing day this Wednesday.

"I was really excited to get back down to Champaign," Fish said about his visit. "I got an unbelievable feel for the school, for the program, the coaching staff, and the rest of the players. I’m really proud to call myself a Fighting Illini. Overall, I just got a great feel for the school."

Ranked a 3-star recruit by Rivals.com, Fish recently played in the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

Fish is a bit of a late bloomer. Originally a basketball player, he has just two years of high school varsity football under his belt. He is the fourth offensive lineman to pledge to Illinois, joining Jake Cerny, Kurt Gavin, and Darta Lee.

On film, Fish is an aggressive lineman with a long reach, and he has a college football body already at nearly 300 pounds. He will have to make strides as an athlete, however, to compete in the Big Ten and is a likely redshirt candidate.

Fish talked about what he will bring to the field for the Illini.

"They love my size and my intangibles," he said. "They said they looking for tackles and I’m in the mold of what they are trying to do being a bigger, athletic guy and having a good frame. They really showed me how I fit in their program, and how they want me to develop."

Though Illinois has been recruiting Fish for less than a month, he says he has built a good relationship with offensive line coach AJ Ricker and head coach Bill Cubit.

That connection with was what closed the deal for Fish.

"The biggest thing for me was the people," Fish said. "It’s one of the best staffs that I’ve met, and I’ve been to a lot schools. The genuine family atmosphere that Coach Cubit has on his staff is incredible.

"Coach Ricker was the main recruiter for me. We built a strong relationship over the past few weeks. He understands my game, and he understands me as a person."