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Illinois Football: Profile of the Illini starting defensive backs

By Rees Woodcock

Nov 12, 2016; Madison, WI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini helmets during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin won 48-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 12, 2016; Madison, WI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini helmets during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin won 48-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 26, 2016; Evanston, IL, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back Cameron Watkins (31) tackles Northwestern Wildcats wide receiver Austin Carr (80) during the first half at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Evanston, IL, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back Cameron Watkins (31) tackles Northwestern Wildcats wide receiver Austin Carr (80) during the first half at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

NB Cameron Watkins

Cameron Watkins is entering his redshirt sophomore season with the Illini. He was one of the young players who Lovie played last year so he could get a better feeling of what he had on the team.

Watkins impressed Lovie and the coaching staff so much where he might be getting a chance to start at the Nickle position this fall. He has the talent to perform well on the field, but he is just a young player who is developing.

Coming out of Pearl Cohn High School in Nashville, Tennessee, Watkins wasn’t highly rated. He was only a two-star recruit who was the No. 2244 player in the class of 2015 and the No. 196 cornerback in the nation.

But, Illinois found something in this kid and Lovie really has helped him grow as a player since signing on as the head coach last year.

In year one at Illinois, Watkins redshirted because he wasn’t ready to play at the college level yet. He had a chance to sit out what ended up being a rocky year for the program. Once Lovie stepped into a leadership role, he started to flourish.

Lovie used Watkins in nine games last season, and he even received two starts. In the snaps he received, Watkins accumulated 21 tackles and three pass deflections. These are solid numbers out of a redshirt freshman, and he is likely to be starting for the Illini in 2017 as well.

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