Illinois Football: Illini now targeting Maryland commit Jerzhan Newton

The Illinois football team is throwing their name into the mix for a player who is already committed to another Big Ten program.

Just about a week ago today, Jerzhan “Johnny” Newton announced on Twitter that he had received a scholarship offer from the University of Illinois. This could be a very difficult recruitment to crack, but the Illini coaching staff has done some amazing things over the past couple of years.

Newton is a 6-foot-3, 255-pound defensive tackle from Clearwater Central Catholic High School in Clearwater, Florida. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 1108 player in the class of 2020 and the No. 57 strong-side defensive end in the nation. He is also the No. 124 player in the state of Florida.

Like previously mentioned, Newton has already committed to a program. Back on June 18, he decided to take his first official visit to Maryland. He liked the Terrapins program so much that he then made a commitment to them on August 31. Since then, Newton has started to receive more recruiting attention. He visited Kansas State this past weekend when they pulled off the big upset of Oklahoma.

Newton seems strong with his commitment, but the fact he is taking more official visits means there could be a gap in there to, potentially, flip him. He could also just be enjoying this time in his life. He has three other official visits to take to places he has never been to. Even if you have no intention of committing to a program, it is good to get out and see the world.

If Illinois can get in the mix with Newton, there is a lot he could bring to the Orange and Blue. His speed and power are two things that jump off the page. This kid has the speed of a linebacker and the power of a defensive tackle. If we could get him working with Lou Hernandez, then I believe Newton could be an all-time type of player.

I like this offer by the Illini. You might as well try to pry Newton out of the hands of Maryland. This kid is going to be a really good player. He has all the tools to dominate at the next level.