Illinois Football: Top Illini recruiting targets for the class of 2019

Jirehl Brock – Running Back

One of the depleted areas on the Illinois football team heading into this upcoming season and really into the foreseeable future is at running back. What better timing to have one right in the Illini’s backyard than Jirehl Brock in 2019?

Brock is a 6-foot, 180-pound running back from Quincy High School in Quincy, Illinois. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 134 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 2 player in the state of Illinois.

I am shocked this kid’s recruitment hasn’t blown up yet. But, after talking to his AAU basketball coach, Gavin Sullivan, it sounds like a lot of coaches haven’t even seen Brock.

“It is crazy because he hasn’t even been to one football combine yet,” said Sullivan, “I can’t wait to see where that ranking goes when he attends some this spring and summer.”

Brock is already knocking on the door of the top 100 but when he gets looked at by all the top teams at some camps this summer, I am going to bet he breaks the top 100 and his recruitment will skyrocket. Illinois should still have a chance at landing Brock, though.

“I know he likes the coaches and feels comfortable with them at Illinois,” said Sullivan, “that is why he has visited a few times already.”

No official visits have been set up and there is still a long way to go in his recruitment but there is one thing for sure, Brock’s recruitment is going to explode and the Illini will have their work cut out for them.