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Illinois Football: 6 Illini recruits to watch on National Signing Day

By Rees Woodcock

IOWA CITY, IOWA- OCTOBER 07: Head coach Lovie Smith of the Illinois Fighting Illini during the second quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes on October 7, 2017 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
IOWA CITY, IOWA- OCTOBER 07: Head coach Lovie Smith of the Illinois Fighting Illini during the second quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes on October 7, 2017 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – SEPTEMBER 09: An Illini cheerleader carries the Block I flag across the field after a touchdown during a non-conference college football game between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini, September 09, 2017, at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL. Illinois won, 20-7. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2. Manny Allen

While getting a player like Robertson would be a huge deal, so would landing Manuel “Manny” Allen. Illinois needs more help on the offensive side of the ball and Allen would bring great ability to the table.

Allen is a 6-foot-2, 175-pound wide receiver from Rancho Verde High School in Moreno Valley, California. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 342 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 58 wide receiver in the nation. Getting Allen would give the Illini another top 1000 player and continue pushing their class to one of the best in recent memory.

The recruitment of Allen has been interesting. He committed to USC back in January 2017 but backed away from that commitment on February 24. He then committed to Nebraska on April 15. That commitment lasted until August 17 when Allen decided to back out of his commitment with the Cornhuskers. He then committed to Louisville that same day.

I thought there was a legit possibility Illinois would flip Allen a few weeks ago. The momentum was on the Illini’s side but he decided to push his commitment back until National Signing Day on February 7. Now, Jody Demling of 247Sports is reporting Allen is taking his official visit to Louisville this weekend. He mentioned he thought about giving it up but he loves the coaching staff and believes in them.

If you would have asked me a week or two ago, I would have said Illinois has a 75-percent chance at landing Allen. But, after hearing the news on him heading to Louisville on another visit, my percentage has decreased. I think Louisville is probably in the lead again for his signature on NSD. I would say it is 60-40 in favor of the Cardinals.

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