Newly offered quarterback is a state champion
East St. Louis (Ill.) dual-threat quarterback Reyondous Estes is a state champion.
A 2017 Missouri commit, Estes helped lead the Flyers to a 26-13 win over Plainfield North in the IHSA Class 7A title game on Saturday, completing an undefeated season.
“We set a goal before the season, and we knew what we had to do at the start of the season,” Estes told Tim O'Halloran, publisher of EdgyTim.com. “I feel like we put the city on our back. The whole 618.”
Estes completed just 5 of 7 passing attempts in the title game, but two of those completions were TD throws to all-world wide receiver Jeff Thomas of 43 and 61 yards respectively.
The Flyers’ 2015 season was shortened by a teachers’ strike, something that Estes said gave the squad some extra motivation.
“For us to get our season taken away last year, it put a sour taste in our mouth,” Estes said. “That’s just four years of hard work, three years of playing with each other. It’s just chemistry. We built a bond. I felt like I was playing for the seniors who didn’t finish their season last year.”
East St. Louis won its eighth state championship and is the winningest high school team in Illinois history.
Illinois recently extended an offer to Estes.
“It’s a big offer,” Estes said. “The Big Ten is a great conference to play in. I’m still verbally committed to Missouri, but I’m happy to pick up the offer and add it on.”
Illinois would obviously love to bring in the package of Estes and Thomas and reestablish a pipeline to the East St. Louis program.
Former Illini cornerback Terry Hawthorne, an East St. Louis grad, helps out on the Flyers’ staff and mentors players. Illini freshman safety Stanley Green is a former Flyer.
Thomas, the No. 11 wide receiver in the nation according to Rivals.com, just named a top five of Illinois, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, and Miami-Fla. Check out the Block I Report for a complete list of top Illini recruiting targets.
Both Estes and Thomas are open to playing together in college, but that talk subsided as they focused on the quest to take home a championship.
“We talked about possibly going to the same school before the season,” Estes said. “During the season we laid back on recruiting. We felt like we should handle our season first.”
Look for the recruiting talk to heat up again with the book closed on the 2016 high school season.
Estes had a high level of Illinois interest from the previous regime as an athlete, but Estes showed on the field this season that he can play quarterback at the next level.
After the first Illinois situation, they first offered me to be an athlete, they have seen that I can play quarterback at the next level,” Estes said. “Now all of my offers have been as a quarterback.”
It’s no secret that Illinois offensive coordinator Garrick McGee wants a dynamic playmaker at the quarterback position that can move out of pocket. The Illini have a commitment from 2017 dual-threat quarterback Cameron Thomas from Chicago Heights (Ill.) Marian Catholic.
Missouri initially offered Estes as a quarterback, and other college coaches have now joined in.
“They have opened up their eyes and seen that I’m a next-level quarterback,” Estes said. “I’m what people are looking for in a dual-threat, being able to get the ball out my hands also.”