Backup: Isaiah Williams
The backup in 2020 should be Isaiah Williams. He is an electrifying quarterback who can come into the Illinois program and put defenses on their heels.
Williams was a four-star recruit coming out of Trinity Catholic High School in St. Louis, Missouri. He was ranked as the No. 116 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 6 athlete in the nation. He was also the No. 6 player in the state of Missouri.
In 2019, I potentially have Williams redshirting but I could also see packages put into place for him to come in the game during his first year in Champaign. Offensive coordinator Rod Smith could bring Williams in for more of the wildcat type of offensive formations. This would throw defenses off. There could be times Williams could drop back in those formations and launch the ball downfield as well.
Williams’ legs help bring a different element to the field for the Illini. I am not completely sure how he is going to be used during his freshman season, but I have him backing up Peters in 2020. This would be Peters final year with the Illini, so Williams would get the reins in 2021 either as a true junior or a redshirt sophomore. Either way, this would be a great scenario for the Illini.