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Illinois Football: Top 3 running back targets for the Illini class of 2021

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 02: The Illinois Fighting Illini helmet on the field after a win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on November 02, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 02: The Illinois Fighting Illini helmet on the field after a win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on November 02, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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EVANSTON, IL – NOVEMBER 24: A general stock view of an Illinois Fighting Illini helmet during a game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Northwestern Wildcats on November 24, 2018, at Ryan Field in Evanston, IL. (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

807. Pick Analysis. RB. Brother Rice HS - Oak Lawn, IL. Willie Shaw. 2. player. Scouting Report

All three of the running backs on this list are in-state kids who could make a huge impact on the program in the near future. I believe Willie Shaw would be a great player for the Orange and Blue.

Shaw is a 5-foot-11, 180-pound running back from Brother Rice High School and resides in Oak Lawn, Illinois. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 538 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 41 running back in the nation. He is also the No. 19 player in the state of Illinois.

Something tells me Shaw will end up landing in the Big Ten. He has roughly nine scholarship offers right now with more to come in the near future. Some of the bigger programs to come in with an offer include Illinois, Nebraska and Iowa. It will be a tough task to snag this talented ball carrier.

There hasn’t been anything reported on what Shaw’s top list is right now, but he has taken visits down to Champaign over the past year. He has also mentioned that he likes everything about the program. As of late December, the Illini were still one of the teams who was contacting Shaw the most as well.

It is hard to peg who Shaw reminds me of. He has a little bit of Pierre Thomas in him where he can run well and with physicality, but he can also catch the ball out of the backfield. That is probably who he reminds me of the most.

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