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Illinois Football: Top 5 Illini targets for the class of 2021

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - OCTOBER 13: Illinois Fighting Illini helmets sit on the sidelines as players warm up for the Big Ten Conference college football game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on October 13, 2018, at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - OCTOBER 13: Illinois Fighting Illini helmets sit on the sidelines as players warm up for the Big Ten Conference college football game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on October 13, 2018, at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Illinois Football
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – NOVEMBER 04: An Illinois football helmet sits on the field before the start of the Big Ten Conference game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Purdue Boilermakers on November 4, 2017, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

3. Tyler McLaurin

Lovie Smith is known for great defenses and legendary linebackers. That is what I am wanting with a player like Tyler McLaurin. I think he has the talent and physical gifts to be the next great Illinois linebacker.

McLaurin is a 6-foot-2, 210-pound outside linebacker from Bolingbrook High School and resides in Bolingbrook, Illinois. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 406 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 30 outside linebacker in the nation. He is also the No. 9 player in the state of Illinois.

This recruitment is another one that is starting to pick up some real steam. McLaurin has around 14 scholarship offers right now, and some of the bigger ones include Illinois, Michigan and Texas Tech. But I am sure more will come for this kid soon.

Linebacker is another position that is building but is still kind of thin moving forward. Jake Hansen and Milo Eifler are great players, but they will be departing the program after the 2020 campaign. I love what we have in Shammond Cooper, Khalan Tolson and Company, but there needs to be more depth there.

Snagging someone like McLaurin would give the Illini a great reserve or potential starter in 2021. This kid is going to get a ton of playing time and see starts early on in his career. He has superstar written all over him.

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