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Illinois Football: Illini make top 5 for OG William Pritchard

By Rees Woodcock

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)
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) /
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The Illinois football team made a top list over the weekend and will hopefully secure a commitment soon.

William Pritchard decided to cut his list down to just five teams and included Tennessee, James Madison, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Illinois. This is a solid list of programs who are all vying for his commitment. Getting him would be a nice pickup for whatever program he chooses.

Pritchard is a 6-foot-3, 290-pound offensive guard from Manchester High School in Midlothian, Virginia. He isn’t rated or ranked according to 247Sports but looking at the offers he holds, I have to assume he is probably somewhere between 1,000 and 1,500 nationally.

Right now, 247Sports has Virginia Tech as the 100-percent favorite to land Pritchard. But, I think it is anyone’s game. Illinois is apparently getting an official visit from Pritchard this weekend starting June 15. No other official visits seem to be set right now.

I really like Pritchard as an offensive guard. He has some nice attributes he can bring to the table. I really like his burst off the line and ability to get to the next level with his blocks. He can blow the defensive tackle back into the second level and that is huge.

The one thing that stands out to me the most is Pritchard’s ability to pull block for his running back. Being able to be fast enough to get off the line and then go to either your left or right around the offensive tackle and block the outside before the running back can get to the line is a great asset. He can do this, and he can do it well.

If Pritchard picks the Illini, I believe he can help the program. He would likely be redshirted year one, but then would be an asset to the team as a redshirt freshman. I could honestly see him potentially starting as a redshirt sophomore.

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Illinois is in the top five for an underrated recruit in Pritchard. There is a lot of potential there and, hopefully, they can land him.

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