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Illinois Football: Illini offer two preferred walk-on spots for 2019

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - SEPTEMBER 29: Illinois Fighting Illini fans are seen in the tailgating area before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 29, 2017 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - SEPTEMBER 29: Illinois Fighting Illini fans are seen in the tailgating area before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 29, 2017 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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The Illinois football team continued on the recruiting trail on Monday as they offered a few spots on the team for 2019.

Lovie Smith and the Illini coaching staff didn’t offer a scholarship, though. They actually extended two preferred walk-on offers to two athletes who would help the program in the future.

A preferred walk-on is defined as an offer to a player to come on the team and you are guaranteed a spot on the 105-man roster from day one of camp. You don’t get a scholarship right away but you don’t have to compete to be on the team, unlike a regular walk-on who has to try out for the team.

The first preferred walk-on offer went to Jackson Ritter. Ritter is a 6-foot-4, 200-pound wide receiver from Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort, Illinois. He isn’t ranked or rated by the big recruiting sites, but Next College Student Athlete does have his measurable. He is clocked at running a 4.5-second 40-yard dash, which is pretty good. I do like his size as well.

Jackson would bring a lot to the Illinois football team. I would expect him to move over to the tight end role. There is a lot of room there for playing time now that Louis Dorsey has transferred. I would want Ritter to get a little bigger, though. This kid knows how to win. His Lincoln-Way East team is the No. 1 team in the state of Illinois and the No. 55 team in the nation.

Paul Fay is the other preferred walk-on recipient. He is a 6-foot-3, 300-pound offensive guard from Hononegah High School in Rockton, Illinois. He is rated as a two-star recruit who is the No. 3,296 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 184 offensive guard in the nation. He is also the No. 89 player in the state of Illinois as well.

Again, Illinois is going after someone who has good size. Fay is a player who can push around the defense at the high school level. He has good strength and is able to pull well for run blocking. I think he is still pretty raw, but Luke Butkus and the Illinois coaching staff would be able to refine his talents.

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I like both of the preferred walk-on offers by the Illini on Monday. These two players could help the Orange and Blue in the next few years.

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