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Illinois Football: Top 8 Illini targets confidence level for 2019

By Rees Woodcock

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 21: Head coach Lovie Smith of the Illinois Fighting Illini looks on during the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on October 21, 2017 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers defeated the Fighting Illini 24-17. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 21: Head coach Lovie Smith of the Illinois Fighting Illini looks on during the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on October 21, 2017 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers defeated the Fighting Illini 24-17. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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LINCOLN, NE – OCTOBER 01: Head coach Lovie Smith of the Illinois Fighting Illini watches warmups before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on October 1, 2016 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

2. Jahleel Billingsley – Confidence 4 out of 10

Jahleel Billingsley is another player who would put the Illinois football class of 2019 over the top. He is one of the best tight ends in the nation and someone the Illini used to have a stronghold on.

Billingsley is a 6-foot-4, 216-pound tight end from Phillips Academy in Chicago, Illinois. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 266 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 10 tight end in the nation.

A top list hasn’t been released by Billingsley yet, but he did say a video was coming soon on Thursday. That video is likely to be one of two things. It is either a video showing his top five-to-ten teams or it is a video showing where he is going to commit to.

Either way, I am nervous because he is coming off a visit to Florida. He seemed to have touted the Gators and what they brought to the table. 247Sports also has him as a strong Florida lean at 84-percent right now.

I am not sure if it is 84-percent, but I do think the Gators probably have a slight lead over the Illini. Illinois isn’t out of his recruitment yet, though. But, they do have some ground to make up now.

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