Illinois Football: 2021’s Jackson Hamilton reveals Illini in top 8

Who is Illinois football target and three-star recruit Jackson Hamilton?

Hailing out of Blessed Trinity High School and the owner of three Georgia football state titles, Jackson Hamilton is an outside linebacker and three-star recruit who should create a lot of buzz this upcoming fall. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Hamilton is ranked as the No. 69 outside linebacker in the class of 2021 and the No. 76 overall player in Georgia.

Hamilton released his top eight schools upon entering his senior season, as he led the Titans to a 14-1 record in 2019.

Including Illinois, Hamilton’s other options are Louisville, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Kentucky, Missouri, Boston College, and Vanderbilt.

Check out his junior season Hudl highlights below.

The Tale of the Tape

From the film, Hamilton shows that he can be an effective two-way threat. He has great awareness of the outside edge and plays sound defensive coverage, particularly one-on-one with outside receivers. In addition, he has underrated speed and is always active, regardless of if he makes the play or not. With a powerhouse team, he is just one of many pieces to a consistent championship puzzle.

Lovie Smith has been adamant about hitting the Southern market for a number of years, and now it is starting to pay off. If Jackson were to commit to the Orange and Blue, he would join Sedarius McConnell, on top of four other 2021 commits to help contribute to the Illini’s future success.

Only time will tell, as the Illini hope to continue the momentum of last year’s RedBox Bowl appearance, where they fell to the PAC-12’s California Golden Bears in Santa Clara, California. A two-game turnaround may progress into something bigger, and landing Hamilton would be one important aspect.

College football fans should have plenty to look forward to, and at the heart of the recruiting season, anything is possible. Fans should also continue to keep their eyes peeled until fall Saturdays are officially back.