The Illinois football team received some great news on Sunday night.
Marquez Beason decided to cut down his list to just four programs and included the Illini. The four teams in his top four are LSU, Texas A&M, Ohio State and Illinois. This is a huge development in the recruitment of this top recruit.
Beason is a 5-foot-11, 173-pound cornerback who also can play wide receiver at the next level as well. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 54 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 8 player in the state of Texas.
Getting a player like Beason would be huge for the Illini program. Not only is he a top 1000 recruit for the class of 2019, he is also a top 100 player, and this is rare for Illinois. The Illini will also start him day one as well.
Illinois is by no means set at cornerback right now. The only player I can confidently say will be a starter in 2019 at cornerback is Nate Hobbs. He developed nicely this past season and has really turned into a nice cornerback. But, beyond Hobbs, Illinois needs a lot more help on the outside. This is where Beason will come into play.
There is a lot to love about Beason as a player. He is a special recruit who can help every team in the nation. His speed is what really stands out on tape. If Beason picks the Illini, he would be a starting cornerback, and I could see him being a starting returner as well.
Beason has great hands at cornerback. His speed enables him to keep up with any wide receiver he matches up with, and then his ability to break up a pass is huge for any defense. He will bring this skill to Champaign if he commits. His returning ability is going to be a huge asset as well. I could see him being the next Devin Hester. Lovie Smith knows a little something about Hester.
Next: Illini pursuing graduate transfer quarterback option
It is exciting Illinois is in the top four for Beason. They have two of his teammates on the roster right now, and they will be sensational with the Illini. Hopefully, Lovie and the coaching staff can add another talented player from Bishop Dunne High School.