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Illinois Football: Most recent offers focus on defensive backs

By Rees Woodcock

Oct 22, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Lovie Smith on the sideline in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Lovie Smith on the sideline in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 18, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; A detailed view of a football and pylon before the game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /

Ron Hardge III

Lovie and the Illini stuck with the Florida route with a scholarship offer to Ron Hardge III. He is a player who has the size to be able to make an impact on the Illini in a year or two after he arrives in Champaign.

Hardge is a 6-foot-1, 175-pound recruit from Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is a three-star cornerback who isn’t ranked in the class of 2018 but is the No. 130 cornerback in the nation.

There is a lot of recruiting attention for Hardge as well. He is a player who has been recruited by many head coaches for quite some time so the fact Illinois was so late to the party worries me. The other scholarship offers that catch the eye are Mississippi State, North Carolina State and Pittsburgh.

Illinois is extremely young in the defensive backfield. This is one of the better areas for the Illini and with the youth they have, it will help with Hardge’s development. He can sit out a year and really get a feel for how the game should be played.

From looking at what Hardge can do on the field, he is clearly a smart player. He isn’t overly athletic but his mind really makes up for what he lacks in other areas. He is going to benefit a team by processing what is going to happen next during a play and where the ball is going to go before it happens. That is a great asset to have on the team. He will be a great get for whoever lands him.

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