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Illinois Football: Class of 2017 Position Grades for the Illini

By Rees Woodcock

Oct 1, 2016; Lincoln, NE, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Lovie Smith watches during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers Illinois Fighting Illini in the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2016; Lincoln, NE, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Lovie Smith watches during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers Illinois Fighting Illini in the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 10, 2015; Iowa City, IA, USA; Fighting Illini defensive lineman Chunky Clements (11) sacks Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback C.J. Beathard (16) at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2015; Iowa City, IA, USA; Fighting Illini defensive lineman Chunky Clements (11) sacks Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback C.J. Beathard (16) at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports /

Defensive Line A+

The main area that I think Illinois might struggle in for 2017 is the defensive line.  I don’t care what program you are, if you lose this much talent you will be hurting the following season.

Illinois lost all four starting defensive linemen and the main backup defensive end from the Murray State game last season.

Defensive ends Carroll Phillips and Dawuane Smoot are both likely to get drafted into the NFL.  Defensive tackles Chunky Clements and Rob Bain will probably get a look or two in free agency.

The departure of backup defensive end Gimel President will also hurt the Illini.  I wouldn’t doubt that he goes late in the NFL Draft.

The replacements for the starting four from last season aren’t terrible, though.

Defensive tackle is the position I am most confident in considering two young players were thrown into action last season.

Jamal Milan will be one of the starting defensive tackles in 2017.  He played in 10 games for the Illini and started in five of those contests as a redshirt freshman.

True freshman Kenyon Jackson was also thrown into the mix halfway through the season.  He started in five games and played in a total of eight.

The defensive tackle position is not only good, but they are extremely young as well.

The position that worries me the most is defensive end.

Illinois has Sean Adesanya and Tito Odenigbo as the starting defensive ends for 2017.

Adesanya didn’t play last season and Odenigbo played in 11 games and only made one start.  There wasn’t much playing time to go around considering the talent that was starting.

So, since the defensive end position is so wide open, that leaves the potential for a member of the class of 2017 to step into a starting role.

Lovie did a great job filling the need of defensive end.  He brought in five defensive ends from the class of 2017 and there are some pretty good ones in there.

Owen Carney is one of the best defensive ends that committed to the Illini.  He enrolled early and is listed as a backup heading into spring practice.

If I had to bet money, I would say Carney is going to be out there starting day one.

Bobby Roundtree and Olalere Oladipo are two other threats to start as well.  They will be entering the program in the summer and I think they both have tremendous talent.

Lovie also brought in Jamal Woods and Deon Pate who will both likely be redshirted for 2017.  That is a good thing, though, because now they can develop even more and Illinois will have depth.

Kendrick Green was the lone defensive tackle that was brought in from the class of 2017.  I wouldn’t doubt if he sees main backup time behind either Milan or Jackson.

As far as the class of 2017 defensive line goes, I would say Lovie knocked it out of the park.  He needed a big defensive line class and that is exactly what he got.

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