Illini Recruiting Hot Board: Top OT Targets To Watch For Illinois’ 2021 Class
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The strongest part of the Illinois offense heading into the 2020 season resides at the line-of-scrimmage with the offensive line.
The Illini will likely have four starting seniors and a rising junior (Kendrick Green) already drawing interest from National Football League scouts and it is because of this five-man combination that those inside the Illinois program are excited about the possibility of a breakout year for an offense led by senior quarterback Brandon Peters. However, it is also that top-heavy nature of the position group led by offensive line coach Bob McClain that the Illini are in desperate need for depth after seniors Doug Kramer, Vederian Lowe, Blake Jeresaty and Alex Palczewski walk out of the door via graduation. Lovie Smith’s staff looked to preserve some future at center with verbal commitment of Mississippi State transfer Brevyn Jones, who could also help the team at either tackle spot, but the depth at the interior line positions after the 2020 campaign is filled with question marks and inexperience. While we already looked at the inside spots Tuesday, which features one of the top commitments of Illinois’ 2020 class in Brody Wisecarver and arguably the Illini’s best chance at securing a solid in-state recruit, we’ll investigate the outside tackle positions for Wednesday, Illini Now/Sports Illustrated wanted to take a .
Since May 1, Illinois football has seen its number of commitments in its 2021 recruiting class rise from one to 10. Illini Now/Sports Illustrated wants to give you some names to watch as we get to the summer months and Lovie Smith’s program attempts to fill out what should be its largest class in recent years.
OFFENSIVE TACKLES
Trevor Timmons - RT/G - Blythewood (S.C.) High School, 6-2, 256, Not Ranked by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com - Offer List: Illinois, Navy, Charlotte and Coastal Carolina.
With all due apologies, we at Illini Now/Sports Illustrated should’ve probably put Timmons at guard and the 6-foot-7 Indiana product Justin Pickett at tackle but let’s give you some inside on Timmons, who is originally from Brunswick, Ga., but has moved to Blythewood, S.C., prior to his senior year of high school. Timmons is a developing prospect and that’s why on three FBS schools have authorized a scholarship offer for the 256-pound prospect. Timmons uses his hands well and his frame suggests he could carry more weight and still be an effective college player. This is another mold of clay type project for Illinois offensive line coach Bob McClain to develop. IllinoisInquirer.com/247Sports.com editor Jeremy Werner sent out a prediction last week that eventually the Illini will get a verbal commitment and add Timmons to its 2021 class.
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Joshua Sales - OT - Brownsburg High School (South Bend, IN), 6-6, 285, Three Stars by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com - Offer List: Illinois, Nebraska, Indiana, Purdue, Michigan State, Arizona State, Maryland, Missouri, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Rutgers
All signs are pointing toward Sales staying in his home state and selecting Indiana and if that is the case Hoosiers head coach Tom Allen is getting an offensive lineman that can play either side of the line and will likely end his college career on the quarterback's blind side of left tackle. Sales is very athletic and is the third-best prospect in the state of Indiana by 247Sports.com. The good news for the Illini is they were able to secure an unofficial visit to the Champaign-Urbana campus in February before the coronavirus pandemic hit the nation. The bad news is it seems some other Big Ten Conference programs, other than the home state Hoosiers, have intrigued Sales including the new coaching staff at Michigan State led by Mel Tucker. Sales did put out a top five of selections but has also continued to received scholarship offers from Power Five Conference schools.
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Charlie Patterson - OT - Fellowship Christian School (Roswell, Ga.), 6-6, 275, Not Ranked by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com - Offer List: Illinois, Louisville, West Virginia, Mississippi State, Virginia, Georgia Tech, Boston College, Kansas, UCF, Indiana, Vanderbilt and N.C. State
Patterson is the complete wild card of any prospect Illinois has offered and the Illini are attempting to get in on the Georgia native late with the newly-hired duo of assistants Jimmy Lindsey and Al Davis throwing out an early June offer to Patterson. One would have to assume not many prospects in the country have seen their number of scholarship offers skyrocket more than Patterson as he put on 30 pounds from his sophomore year to the beginning of last season and carries his weight well. He could easily be a tackle at a Power Five Conference program while carrying 300-315 pounds by the time he’s ready to be a consistent member of a starting lineup. Patterson needs some fundamental hand placement and footwork tutoring but he’ll get more than he desires in that department during a college practice. What Illinois offensive line coach Bob McClain can’t teach is Patterson’s overall athleticism and for a teenager has excellent football knowledge to go along with a 3.75 grade-point-average. He’ll be an interesting watch on where he takes his official visits if/when the COVID-19 pandemic lifts and recruiting opens back up again as he has several power programs anxiously recruiting him and nobody seems to have an overall lead except for possibly home state Georgia Tech.