The Illinois football team offered an extremely talented player on Sunday night.
Illinois’ most recent offer was extended to Isaiah Rutherford. He is a 6-foot-2, 170-pound cornerback from Jesuit High School in Carmichael, California. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 199 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 18 cornerback in the nation.
God is good ! Blessed to receive an offer to the University of Illinois! pic.twitter.com/kzrECxdW6f
— Isaiah Rutherford (@zay_rutherford) April 30, 2018
On paper, this is a big offer from the Illini. But, they might be a little late to the party on this one. Rutherford already has a wide range of offers from big-time programs like Alabama, Oklahoma and Oregon, but you never know in recruiting. Despite not getting my hopes up, I really think Illinois could use Rutherford day one.
Rutherford has an amazing skillset that can be used multiple ways. Everything he does on the field is built around his tremendous speed. This kid can burn and that is a huge asset. This will help when he tries to cover some of the best wide receivers in the college game.
In addition to his speed, Rutherford also has great vision for the ball. He can hone in on where the quarterback is going and this helps with interceptions and pass deflections. He also does a great job of getting his head around before the ball gets there. This is a problem in the NFL, but Rutherford already has great technique.
Of course, coming in, Rutherford would be used as a cornerback like his primary positions says. But, I really think he would be tremendous as a slot receiver as well. I love this kid’s speed and burst. He played some running back at times in high school and when he hit the line he just blew through everyone. I would like to see what he could do catching the ball in space. He would be a nightmare.
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No matter what, Rutherford is going to be extremely talented at the next level. The team that gets this kid will be getting a great player. Hopefully, Illinois can somehow work their way into the conversation.