Illinois Football: Decision coming for Illini target Jakai Clark

CHAMPAIGN, IL - SEPTEMBER 10: General view of a Illinois Fighting Illini helmet seen during the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Memorial Stadium on September 10, 2016 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - SEPTEMBER 10: General view of a Illinois Fighting Illini helmet seen during the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Memorial Stadium on September 10, 2016 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Building a great offensive line is one of the top priorities for the Illinois football team.

Over the past few recruiting classes, Lovie Smith and the Illini coaching staff have built an offensive line that many fans can be proud of. These hogs up front have done a great job this season with pass protection and run blocking. Just look at what the Illinois running game has done.

Mike Epstein was on pace to come close to 1,000 yards this season until he started to deal with some injuries. Illinois quarterback AJ Bush is the second-leading rusher on the team with 472 yards, and he is averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He also has five touchdowns on the season as well.

Am I missing anyone? Oh yeah, Illini running back Reggie Corbin is having an okay season. He has only rushed for 952 yards and nine touchdowns in 2018. He is on pace to not only shatter the 1,000-yard mark, but he is also going to rewrite the Illinois record books. Let’s not forget to mention, Corbin is averaging 9.1 yards per carry as well. That is an incredible number.

Illinois has some great runners, but runners are only as good as their offensive line. That is why the Illini need to continue building the front lines for the future. This makes getting a player like Jakai Clark so important for this program.

Clark is a 6-foot-2, 306-pound offensive center from Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 92 player in the state of Georgia.

There were so many teams after Clark and, at one time, he was committed to Auburn. But, now Clark is down to just Illinois and Arizona. He has visited both programs and was on pace to make a commitment soon but has delayed this commitment for a few more days after his Illinois visit this past weekend.

The decision on where a kid is going to play college football is the most important decision of his life. They need to make sure it is the right place for them, so take all the time in the world. But, I can tell you this, Illinois would be a great fit, in my opinion.

Illinois has a great offensive line coach in Luke Butkus who also coached in the NFL. He knows what it takes to get to the next level. Lovie Smith was an NFL head coach and coached a team to the Super Bowl. Rod Smith is a great offensive coordinator. Just look what the Illinois offense has done this season compared to last.

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There are so many benefits by coming to Champaign. Let’s also add in, the Illini are winning this year. The “trust the process” saying is proving true for the Orange and Blue. That is why I think Clark should pick Illinois over Arizona.