Illinois Football: 5 big targets for the Illini class of 2019

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CHAMPAIGN, IL – NOVEMBER 17: The Fighting Illini take the field before a Big Ten Conference football game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Illinois Fighting Illini on November 17, 2018, at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2. Dru Mathis

Another big-time recruit for the Illini and an instant impact player is Dru Mathis. He is a junior college player who could come in and play right away for this Illinois football team.

Mathis is a 6-foot-3, 240-pound inside linebacker from Moorpark College in Ventura, California. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 47 JUCO player in the class of 2019 and the No. 3 inside linebacker in the nation. He is also the No. 9 JUCO player to come out of California as well.

The five official visits for Mathis have been completed. He visited UNLV back on September 8. Illinois followed that visit on October 13. The final three visits were to Nebraska on November 17, TCU on November 24 and Baylor this past weekend on November 30.

247Sports has Mathis at 78-percent Baylor and 22-percent Nebraska for his commitment. It does seem like these two programs picked up some momentum after he visited there, but I think Illinois is still squarely in this race.

The Illinois coaches visiting Mathis on Thursday make me think that they know they have a shot at this kid and he is one of their top priorities. I think the Illini can still land Mathis and are probably in the lead for him, if not really close to the top.

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