Illini Loading Up DL depth In 2020 Recruiting Class

The commitment of junior college DL Anthony Shipton and the commitment flip of Cooper Davis beefs up Illinois’ 2020 recruiting class.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Two major recruiting developments this week has signaled a clear intention by this Illinois football coaching staff to increase its defensive line depth.

Thanks to continual persistence by this Illinois staff, and a head-coaching change at Missouri, the Illini were able to flip three-star defensive line prospect Cooper Davis. The native of Melbourne, Fla., announced his decision Wednesday becoming the 11th verbal pledge of Illinois’ 2020 recruiting class. Of those 11, which is now down to 10 after four-star quarterback C.J. Dixon announced to 247Sports.com his intention to reopen his recruitment, three are defensive linemen and Illinois is attached to the recruiting efforts of at least three more three-star prospects.

Davis, who according to Hudl.com is listed at 6-foot-7 and 255-pound pass rusher, had been verbally committed to Missouri’s program since June just nine days after he visited the campus in the summer. However, Missouri’s coaching transition that included terminating four-year coach Barry Odom despite the fact he went 19-15 in his final three seasons with the Tigers allowed Illinois to regain footing with the 46th-best strong-side defensive end prospect according to 247Sports.com. In an exclusive interview with Davis, the Florida prospect told 247Sports.com that his connection with Lovie Smith and his staff was similar to what he’d established with Odom at nearby rival Missouri.

Davis was able to part of Illinois’ big official visit group last weekend and didn’t take very long to establish enough comfort with the primary recruiter and Illinois defensive line coach Austin Clark, who is a Florida native.

“The opportunity to play right away and the people I met (stood out during the visit)," Davis told 247Sports.com. "I love Coach Clark, and I think he can make me a great player.”

Just three days prior to the Davis commitment flip, three-star junior college defensive tackle Anthony Shipton pledged his services to Illinois. Shipton, a Villa Park, Calif. native had 31 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and four sacks this season for Cerritos College. Shipton, who is listed at 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds, chose Illinois over scholarship offers from Arizona, Hawaii and UTEP.

Committed To The university of Illinois #Littyville 🔶🔷 pic.twitter.com/AIp8QWvFyC

— $HIPPIE ThE p☔️ (@AnthonyShipton) December 9, 2019

Shipton was part of the same official visit weekend as Davis as Berkeley, Calif., native and starting linebacker Milo Eifler was Shipton’s recruiting host.

The list of visitors this past weekend for Illinois also included a pair of defensive end prospects committed to a high profile program. Jerzhan Newton, a 6-foot-3 and 255-pound pass rusher from Clearwater, Florida, was on campus this weekend despite having committed to Maryland this past August. Newton, who also has scholarship offers from Florida, Florida State and UCF, is ranked by 247Sports.com as the 56th-best strong-side defensive end in the country and would provide the Illini with much-needed depth at a position crippled by injuries throughout the 2019 season.

JaQuari Wiggles, a 263-pound defensive end prospect from Atlanta, was reportedly on the Illinois campus despite having been committed to nearby Georgia Tech for nearly eight months. Wiggles, who hold scholarship offers from Maryland, is ranked by 247Sports.com as the 43rd-best strong-side defensive end in the nation. Wiggles posted on Twitter that he got an in-home visit from Illini head coach Lovie Smith, linebacker coach Miles Smith and running backs coach Mike Bellamy just days before his scheduled official visit this past weekend.