Illinois Football: Illini getting visit from Travion Ford

It looks like the Illinois football team is getting a huge visitor this weekend when we take on Rutgers.

According to Jeremy Werner of 247Sports, defensive end Travion Ford will be up visiting the Illini this weekend. This is an unofficial visit, though. Getting this kid into the program would be a huge accomplishment for the coaching staff.

Ford is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound weak-side defensive end from Lutheran North High School in St. Louis, Missouri. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 61 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 4 weak-side defensive end in the nation. He is also the best player in the state of Missouri.

Everyone is after Ford and what he brings to the table when it comes to the defensive end position. He has teams like Alabama and Florida State in the running for his commitment. But nothing is official yet. He still hasn’t taken a single official visit because he is only in his junior season. There is plenty of time for Ford to look at the landscape and see what his best fit is moving forward.

I mean, I think it is obvious Ford is going to be a superstar at the next level. For one, all of these programs wouldn’t be offering him if he wasn’t going to be special. In addition to that, Ford possesses all the attributes needed to be successful in college.

I love Ford’s speed on the end. He is only clocked at 4.91-seconds for the 40-yard dash, but I think his short-term quickness is what matters the most. This kid can burst off the line and get to the ball carrier quicker than anyone can block him. He has solid strength and vision as well. He is the complete package when it comes to recruiting.

The visit this weekend is important to show that Illinois needs to be on Ford’s official visit radar. We have won two-straight games and should make it three against Rutgers. The winning has been on display, and that should help with recruiting a player like Ford.