Illinois Football: 5 state of Illinois recruits needed for 2018

6 of 6

Oct 26, 2013; Champaign, IL, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini helmet on the field before the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports /

DE Devin O’Rourke

I think the top recruit that the Illinois football team needs to snag is defensive end, Devin O’Rourke. He is a player that would help boost the defensive line back to legendary status.

Illinois has a history of developing NFL defensive linemen and O’Rourke could be the next great player. He would fall in line with previous greats like Jihad Ward and Whitney Mercilus. He is also from Frankfort, Illinois and a most get for the Illini.

O’Rourke is a 6-foot-6, 230-pound beast that many programs are after. He is ranked as a four-star recruit who is the No. 267 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 19 defensive end in the country.

The amount of scholarship offers for O’Rourke is impressive. I think about every Big Ten program has already offered him plus a number of others such as Syracuse and Iowa State.

Illinois needs O’Rourke because there isn’t a ton of proven depth at defensive end. They lost both starters plus a backup from last year and they will be relying on question marks this season.

Next: Ten Class of 2018 Recruits on My Illini Wish List

Depending on who really plays well in the upcoming season, there will be plenty of room for O’Rourke to step in immediately and play starter snaps.

Home/Illinois Basketball Recruiting