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Illinois Football: 5 impact freshmen year one for the Illini

By Rees Woodcock

CHICAGO, IL - JULY 23: Head coach Lovie Smith of the University of Illinois football team looks on before the game between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field on July 23, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The Chicago Cubs won 5-3. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - JULY 23: Head coach Lovie Smith of the University of Illinois football team looks on before the game between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field on July 23, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The Chicago Cubs won 5-3. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – SEPTEMBER 29: Illinois Fighting Illini fans are seen in the tailgating area before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 29, 2017 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

3. Calvin Avery

Texas has started to become a nice recruiting hub for Lovie and the Illini. They were able to snag a few big-time recruits from the Lone Star state led by Calvin Avery.

Avery is a 6-foot-2, 310-pound defensive tackle from Bishop Dunne High School in Dallas, Texas. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 205 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 25 player in the state of Texas.

Illinois landed Avery despite strong pushes by other programs like TCU and Oklahoma. He is coming into an Illinois program that needs him and he will start day one for the Illini.

Last season, there was a rotation of defensive tackles for the Illini. Tymir Oliver was the player who started the most games but Jamal Milan and Kenyon Jackson both saw time as well. These three are players that I am excited to still have on the team.

But, I think Avery is going to get the starting nod over Jackson this season. He will lead the way for the Illini and help their rush defense who allowed an average of 4.8 yards per carry in 2017. That ranked No. 84 in the nation. That is why I think Avery is going to be an impact player next season.

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