No. 1 Michael Thompson, Defensive Tackle
There is no secret that the Illinois football team has put some good defensive linemen into the NFL. This has been their specialty for the last few decades.
Michael Thompson could be the next great Illinois defensive lineman that gets drafted. He is a superstar defensive tackle that has the potential to be special at the college level.
Thompson is ranked as a four-star defensive tackle out of Parkway North High School in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the No. 54 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 3 player in the state of Missouri.
There are very few players that really make me say wow on the defensive line, but Thompson is one of them. The athletic ability he brings to the table at that size is amazing. Standing at 6-foot-4, 291-pounds, a player of his size shouldn’t be able to do what he does.
I see that he is clocked in at running a 5.37-second 40-yard dash. I am sure that will improve some over the years. Thompson will also make a move to defensive tackle where he is a better fit as well.
Thompson has 22 scholarship offers right now and that number will probably grow. Everyone from Alabama to Oklahoma has offered him, but it could come down to Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio State for his commitment.
Next: Recent Illini recruiting scholarship offers
Illinois does have interest from Thompson as well. He attended their camp and the Illini should be in his final decision. Hopefully, he picks Illinois and we can continue building that defensive line.