There is a lot of time left before the class of 2020 closes up, and the Illinois football team still has some work to do.
Illinois has already done some great work on the defensive line. We have five defensive linemen – three defensive tackles and two defensive ends – out of the 12 players signed right now. That is enough to build a solid defensive line moving forward. But we could always add another talented pass rusher. Could that player be Noah Jones via the transfer portal?
Jones is a 6-foot-4, 235-pound strong-side defensive end who went to Lancaster High School and resides in Lancaster, Texas. He was rated as a three-star recruit who was the No. 876 player in the class of 2017 and the No. 40 strong-side defensive end in the nation. He was also the No. 123 player in the state of Texas.
Coming out of Lancaster, Jones had recruiting interest from a wide variety of programs. Some of those teams included Purdue, SMU, Houston and, yes, Illinois. But Jones had his heart set on Houston as the landing spot.
Jones entered the Cougars program and redshirted in 2017. He didn’t play a single snap during the 2018 campaign as a redshirt freshman. This past season, thanks to depth in front of him, Jones was only able to play in two games for Houston. With two years of eligibility remaining, he has decided to enter his name into the transfer portal.
During Jones’ original recruitment, the Illinois coaching staff offered him a scholarship and showed interest. It looks like they are still interested in this kid from the Lone Star State.
“They told me to get them film,” Jones mentioned to the Writing Illini, “Been talking to Stoker.”
Coach Andrew Hayes-Stoker has been the stalwart for the Illinois coaching staff when it comes to recruiting the state of Texas. He has done some great work and it looks like he is continuing the push to snag talented players no matter the route they take.
The possibilities for the Illinois defensive line are endless. We have so much talent up front and adding a player like Jones would only enhance the pass rush. After sitting out the 2020 season due to NCAA transfer rules, Jones would be a big piece to the Illini puzzle.