Since Lovie Smith took over as the head coach of the Illinois football team, we have recruited more players on potential.
There have been a handful of recruits who come to mind when I say recruiting on potential. Bobby Roundtree was one of those players. This kid had the framework coming out of high school and was on a great path with the Illini. Hopefully, he has a speedy recovery. One of the more recent scholarship offers that has a ton of potential is Lukas Van Ness.
Van Ness is a 6-foot-5, 240-pound strong-side defensive end from Barrington High School in Barrington, Illinois. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 1120 player in the class of 2020 and the No. 55 strong-side defensive end in the nation. He is also the No. 24 player in the state of Illinois as well.
Back on May 31, Illinois extended their offer to Van Ness. Since then, he has racked up a few other offers but decided to take an unofficial visit to Champaign on Thursday. Illinois having Van Ness in for a visit is a good sign because he has so many teams vying for his commitment. Among the most notable teams coming after Van Ness include the likes of Minnesota, Kansas and Kansas State.
Had an amazing visit at the University of Illinois today. Thank you to the entire coaching staff for making me a priority! #VIP #ILLGANG20 @IlliniFootball 🔸🔹 pic.twitter.com/t1V9MbLtDl
— Lukas Van Ness (@lukas_vanness) June 21, 2019
There is a lot to love about Van Ness’ game. His size is what jumps out to me immediately. This kid stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 240-pounds. He hasn’t even had a chance to get to the college level with their weight rooms and training programs. Just imagine what he could turn into as far as a physical specimen goes.
I was really impressed with what I saw of him on the football field too. He gets held a lot when rushing the quarterback. His ability to break away from an offensive lineman is a great attribute. I also like that he doesn’t give up on plays. He is hustling to the ball carrier regardless of where the play is on the field. That hustle and heart are unmeasurable.
Van Ness is one of those players who end up being extremely good but isn’t rated well coming out of high school. Illinois can’t miss on this kid. We need more defensive end help. I think Van Ness fills that bill.