Illini Recruiting Momentum Rolls On As Three-Star 2021 Florida Athlete Theodore Lockley Commits

Three-star athlete Theodore Lockley is the fifth Florida prospect of the Illini’s nine verbal commitments for the 2021 recruiting class.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The recruiting momentum through May and June continues for the Illinois football program.

The Illini received another verbal commitment as three-star Florida athlete Theodore Lockley pledged his services to Lovie Smith’s program via an Instagram announcement Friday afternoon.

Lockley is fifth Florida prospect of the Illini’s ninth verbal commitment of the 2021 recruiting class as he joins three-star wide receiver Patrick Bryant, three-star defensive back Daniel Edwards and three-star linebacker Trevor Moffitt and linebacker Dylan Rosiek from the Sunshine State.

Lockley, a 6-foot and 175-pound athlete who the Illini coaches primarily want at receiver, comes from the high school (Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Fla.) where Illinois cornerbacks coach Keynodo Hudson served as a defensive coordinator from 2009-11. Hudson, along with the help of Illini offensive coordinator Rod Smith, was the primary recruiter for Lockley as he chose Illinois over scholarship offers from Boston College, Kansas, Rutgers, Temple, East Carolina, Liberty and Western Kentucky.

On Tuesday, Lockley had narrowed down his choices to a final four schools: Illinois, Boston College, Bowling Green and East Carolina.

That Friday feeling! Good morning Illini nation! #TooILL21 #ILLINI 🔶🔷 pic.twitter.com/3LGhEKiGk6

— Carson Hall (@CoachCarsonHall) June 19, 2020

In his junior season at Mainland, Lockley was an all-area first-team selection as a receiver by the Daytona Beach News Journal and according to 247Sports.com, the speedster recorded a 10.74-second time in the 100-meter dash as a track athlete. Illinois offered Lockley in early April and the Illini coaching staff was able to hold off late-charging offers from several FBS programs over the last few months.

Similarly to the commitment of Bryant earlier in the month, Lockley fills a huge positional need for the Illini as they’re due to lose three leading targets for the 2020 season to graduation including Josh Imatorbhebhe, Trevon Sidney and Ricky Smalling. However, Bryant’s and Lockley’s games are not considered nearly the same as Bryant is seen as more of a possession receiver with strong hands to serve him well in the red zone and Lockley is recruited as a big-play, open field receiver in Rod Smith’s spread-option offensive attack.

Illinois only had one verbal commitment to its 2021 class before May 1 but in the last 49 days have seen eight verbal pledges roll in. Despite the recent surge, the entirety of the Illini 2021 class still is placed last among 14 Big Ten programs according to the rankings done by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com.