Illinois Football: Verdis Brown would be the cornerstone for class of 2018

The Illinois football team continues to be in the running for some top players in the class of 2018.

This is an important class for the future of the football program. This will really be Lovie Smith’s first true class as a head coach and I expect him to bring in some top talent. One of the players I have had my eye on for quite some time is Verdis Brown.

Brown is an offensive tackle who currently attends IMG Academy down in Bradenton, Florida. But, this kid is originally from Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, Illinois. He just recently transferred down to Florida before this past season.

Needless to say, Brown is a wanted recruit. He is a four-star who is the No. 158 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 13 offensive tackle in the nation. He has 17 scholarship offers as of right now but on Friday night, he decided to narrow his decision to just 10 programs, including the Illini.

Brown will be choosing from Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, UCLA and Illinois. These are all great program and Lovie and the Illini will have a tough time convincing him to come to Champaign.

The recruitment of Brown has now become priority No. 1 for Lovie and the coaching staff. He is such a highly rated recruit and someone who could help turn this program into a Big Ten contender. If he decides to pick Illinois then he would become the cornerstone for the class of 2018.

Illinois already has good running backs and they are developing a nice stable of quarterbacks, but what they have been missing the last five years has been a solid offensive line. They have had a few great players here and there, but overall, the offensive line has been disappointing.

Having Brown come in and start right away can be a great selling point for the Illini. They would be able to provide immediate starting snaps and that is something not a lot of the top 10 can offer.

Illinois can also offer an offensive line coach who has experience in the NFL and he has great coaching experience in Luke Butkus. He is a huge asset in the recruitment of Brown and someone who I think could reel him in.

The final factor is proximity to home. After playing a few seasons in Florida, I would imagine Brown would want to come home and play in front of family and friends. That would be my third selling pitch to him.

Next: Top recruiting needs for the Illini

Illinois has a lot to offer Brown in his recruitment. He would not only be a big get for the Illini, but he would also be the cornerstone for the class of 2018.