Replacing an entire defensive line plus a backup defensive end is going to be tough for the Illinois football team.
They currently have two defensive tackles in Jamal Milan and Kenyon Jackson who are young and talented that will be starting this upcoming season. But, behind these two there isn’t a ton of depth at the defensive tackle position.
Building depth is one of the keys to forming this program back into a Big Ten contender on a consistent basis. That is why getting a player like Daniel Parker Jr. is so important to this team.
Parker is a 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive tackle from Blue Springs High School in Blue Springs, Missouri. He is currently listed as a three-star recruit who is the No. 496 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 8 best player in the state of Missouri.
Illinois hasn’t had a ton of luck with in-state talent for the class of 2018, but it looks like they do have some steam with out-of-state talent, specifically Missouri.
The first year Parker would be in the program he would redshirt, I assume. That would make his redshirt freshman season 2019 and by then the starting defensive tackles would be seniors. So, Parker has the potential to start as a sophomore for the Illini.
Illinois is an attractive destination for Parker. Despite not yet making it up to Champaign, he still has high regard for what is going on up there. He mentioned to the Writing Illini that “they are building something beautiful up there” when we talked about what makes Illinois an attractive destination.
It seems like the staff at Illinois has a lot to do with this attraction. They came in, led by Lovie Smith, and have changed this program from somewhat of a laughingstock to a place that out-of-state players have true interest in.
Parker is going to be a great get for whoever lands him. There are still plenty of programs still wooing him and that is what will make the recruitment hard for the Illini.
Right now, Parker isn’t releasing his top list of programs. He still has a long recruiting process ahead and that decision will likely come with time. He does plan on making his decision when the football season rolls around, though.
Next: Illini offensive line relying on young talent
If Illinois can land a caliber of player like Parker and continue that pipeline in Missouri, things could be really special for this program in the next few years.