Illinois Football: Illini make top 6 for Jadon Thompson

One of the best players from the class of 2020 kept the Illinois football team on his top list on Tuesday.

It was a Merry Christmas for some programs as Jadon Thompson decided to cut down his list to just six teams vying for his commitment. Those six teams ended up being Purdue, Minnesota, Michigan State, Michigan, Missouri and Illinois. This is another big list for the Illini to make.

Thompson is a 6-foot-2, 160-pound wide receiver from Marist High School in Chicago, Illinois. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 272 player in the class of 2020 and the No. 55 wide receiver in the nation. He is also the No. 4 player in the state of Illinois as well.

Getting onto Thompson’s top six is a big deal for these programs. This kid will help any program in the nation but he has narrowed it down to just six. Where does Illinois stack up, though?

As far as playing time goes, I think Illinois has to be one of the top teams right now. The wide receiver corps isn’t deep by any means. Jeff Thomas is transferring in and hopefully, he will be available immediately. Even if he won’t, his first season with the Orange and Blue would be when Thompson comes in from the class of 2020.

I would also see Ricky Smalling likely ahead of Thompson as well. But, Smalling would be a senior, so they would only play one season together. Depending on what we continue to see from Edwin Carter, he may be ahead of Thompson to start. But, Carter’s injury as a freshman leaves questions about what we are going to get when he returns. For depth at wide receiver, that is about it.

Illinois also has a building offense, and we are bringing in one of the best quarterbacks from the class of 2019 as well. Isaiah Williams will be in his second year with the Illini when Thompson would be entering the program. Having a talented and experienced quarterback behind center has to be intriguing for Thompson.

Another bonus for Thompson is location. Illinois is the closest program for him, and they are the in-state team. That is another reason the Illini could be attractive.

Illinois is now in the top six for Thompson. This kid has all the talent in the world. If Illinois can have a good season and get to a bowl game, that would make getting Thompson a lot easier. Success in 2019 is crucial to what we are building.