Recruiting roundup: Lineman plans return trip to Illinois
Illinois football recruiting is about to get very interesting, with the dead period ending on July 10 and prospects trimming their lists and finalizing visit plans.
OrangeandBlueNews.com has some news and notes on some top Illini targets, including an Ohio offensive lineman who plans to make a second trip to Champaign soon.
Illinois appears to be in a recruiting battle with Louisville for 3-star offensive guard Howard Watkins from Cincinnati (Ohio) Colerain.
“I’m going on a few visits coming up in July and August,” Watkins said. “I’m going to Louisville this Friday. A bunch of guys who have offers are coming down there. Then Coach Butkus from Illinois invited me to come back up there.”
Illinois had Watkins on campus recently for an unofficial visit. The fact that he wants to come back for a second look is great news for the Illini.
On the last trip in late June, Watkins spent some time getting to know the coaches and checking out the campus.
“I just liked the atmosphere I get from the coaches and the players,” he said. “They know that Coach Lovie is going to bring change to Illinois football. The campus is amazing and the facilities are great."
“All in all, I just love the fact that Lovie Smith and his staff don’t see themselves as underdogs. They want to win Big Ten championships.”
Other offers are in from Cincinnati, Colorado State, Indiana, Rutgers, and others. There are also a handful of Power 5 programs who continue to stay in touch.
“All of the schools that have offered me are all showing me love,” Watkins said. “I’ve also heard from Pitt, Kentucky, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State.”
A two way player in high school, Illinois is recruiting Watkins to play offensive line. He also has looks as a defensive lineman. Watkins said he doesn’t have a preference which side of the ball he lines up on as long as he sees the field early on.
Watkins talked about what college scouts see in him.
“They like that I’m aggressive and they like my athletic ability,” Watkins said. “I’m versatile and I have a lot of options. Some schools want me to play tackle, and some want me to play defensive line. They like my motor, that I’m aggressive, and I’m football smart.”
Right now, Watkins plans to take all of his official visits then make his college decision on his birthday in October. The Illini would undoubtedly love to lock him up sooner when he’s on campus later this month.
News and notes
Changes are coming to the Block I Report this week and Watkins will be on it. A couple of other kids we are likely adding are Florida prospects DE Owen Carney and CB Antwan Collier. Carney will make a visit in late July with his high school teammate at Miami (Fla.) Central, 4-star wide receiver Carmoni Green. Collier is an underrated kid as a 3-star who has some big time offers. This Florida trio of Carney, Collier, and Green would be a tremendous get for Lovie Smith.
Coaches are still on vacation and will be back in the office on Monday, July 25. Late July / early August is going to be huge for recruiting. The Illini are landing on a lot of top 10 lists, and they should be able to get many of those kids on campus for visits. Then look for kids to start making commitments in August before the high school football season kicks off.
Big Ten Media Days are set for July 25 and 26, at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago. Wes Lunt, Dawaune Smoot, and Ke'Shawn Vaughn will join Lovie Smith in Chicago. A couple of features we have planned include video interviews with all of the Big Ten West coaches, plus a feature on the top Big Ten players Illinois will face this season. Much more.
We believe Illinois has made up ground for 3-star offensive lineman Larry Boyd from St. Louis (Mo.) Trinity Catholic. The Illini held a camp at his high school and they continue to stay in close contact with him. Running backs coach Thad Ward works the metro east for the Illini, and he’s a coach that the kids really seem to take to. Boyd named a top 8 that includes Illinois, and they have a good shot.
Relationships with coaches also has the Illini in the hunt for Katy (Texas) product Corey Bethley, a 3-star defensive lineman. Wide receiver coach Andrew Hayes-Stoker is a Texas native, relates well with the kids in the Lone Star state, and has a great deal of credibility from his stint coaching in the NFL. Bethley’s offer list is impressive, but Hayes-Stoker is selling Bethley on early playing time at Illinois.
In-state, the top target is defensive end Olelere Oladipo. Illinois feels good about where they are with Oladipo, who would fill a need as a speed rusher. He trimmed his list to Illinois, Duke, Cal, Penn State, Indiana, and Michigan State. Visits to Duke and Penn State are likely on tap. That trip to Happy Valley is probably one to be concerned about.
Oladipo is often mentioned as a possible package deal with Chicago Marist linebacker Micah Awodiran, and the two will likely visit Duke together. Some thought Awodiran may have pulled the trigger for Illinois by this point, and that window won’t be open forever. The Illini like what they already have in Chicago St. Rita linebacker Marc Mondesir, and there are other linebackers on their board.
Big defensive tackle Juan Harris named a top three of Illinois, Minnesota, and Indiana. It may come down to the Illini and the Gophers, per our sources. This is a kid in a volatile situation who needs stability, and Lovie Smith is an appealing father figure to Harris and is very well liked among people around Harris. If Harris can keep focused, he’s a 4-star type on the interior of the defensive line and an instant impact type of player as a run stuffer. We love the Illini's chances.