Illinois Football: Top 5 Illini targets for the class of 2021
1. Travion Ford
I would say the biggest target as of right now for the Illinois football team is Travion Ford. He has emerged as one of the best players in the nation and is someone who could help the Illini tremendously.
Ford is a 6-foot-2, 222-pound weak-side defensive end from Lutheran North High School and resides in St. Louis, Missouri. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 141 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 8 weak-side defensive end in the nation. He is also the No. 2 player in the state of Missouri.
There are a number of teams after Ford, but he has started to narrow down his list. He currently has three official visits scheduled this upcoming summer. He will take a visit to Louisville on May 29. Illinois follows that visit on June 12. The final scheduled visit right now is Missouri on June 19. His final two visits will be scheduled later in the year.
I believe Illinois has a real shot at landing Ford. They have great location, only a few hours away from St. Louis. The Illini also have a need for another solid defensive end. A few defensive ends like Isaiah Gay and Owen Carney Jr. will be departing the program after the 2020 campaign. The need for Ford to come in and be an impact player early on is huge.