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Illinois Football: Top 10 Recruits the Illini Need to Snag for 2017

By Rees Woodcock

Oct 22, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Lovie Smith on the sideline in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Lovie Smith on the sideline in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Illinois Football
Nov 28, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; A general shot of a Illinois Fighting Illini helmet during the second half against the Northwestern Wildcats at Soldier Field. Northwestern won 24-14. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

The Illinois football team is known for having talented defensive linemen.  They have multiple in the NFL right now and there will be more entering after this season.

The class of 2017 also has a great defensive end in Olalere Oladipo coming in as well.  Now, the Illini are looking to add a defensive tackle.

Howard Watkins is listed as a 3-star defensive tackle from Cincinnati, Ohio.  He is the No. 1203 player in the class of 2017 and the No. 49 player in the state of Ohio.

Watkins has a nice, big, frame that will provide as a run stopper for years to come.  He stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 280-pounds.

The recruitment of Watkins has been pretty heavy actually.  He has 12 scholarship offers and the only official visit he has been on is to Illinois on September 9.

Watkins used one of his five official visits to Champaign and that means Illinois is likely to be in his top five.

After this season Illinois will be losing all four starting defensive linemen.  That is going to kill the defense, but adding a player like Watkins will help fill those gaps.

Hopefully, Lovie can convince Watkins that Champaign is the place to be and continue building this defense for the future.

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