Illinois Football: Illini receive commitment from Josh Kreutz

Illinois football continued their hot streak with recruiting as they landed a big-time offensive lineman for the future.

Lovie Smith once coached the Chicago Bears where he had a center named Olin Kreutz. He was one of the baddest offensive linemen in the NFL. No one wanted to mess with Olin. Well, fast forward a couple of decades and Lovie is going to be coaching a Kreutz again. This time it is Olin’s son, Josh.

Kreutz is a 6-foot-2, 260-pound center from Loyola Academy and resides in Wilmette, Illinois. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 1090 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 15 center in the nation. He is also the No. 29 player in the state of Illinois.

On Wednesday night, Kreutz announced he was ending his recruitment. Via his Twitter account, Kreutz said he is committing to the University of Illinois. He ended up picking the Illini over a variety of teams from around the country.

Where does Kreutz fit in on the Illinois roster?

This is actually a huge commitment for the Orange and Blue. I would argue it is one of the most important pledges for 2021. Illinois is losing a ton of talent after the 2020 campaign, specifically on the offensive line.

Among the players departing the program from the offensive line includes center, Doug Kramer. He has been a stalwart for the Illini since joining the program. The number of starts he has made at center is second to none.

Illinois needs a replacement for Kramer, though. It would not shock me to see Kreutz come into the Illinois program and start day one. He has the NFL pedigree to be a talented player. Lovie knows his father and the family, so there is a strong connection there.

Obviously, having a true freshman center would come with some bumps and bruises. But I think Kreutz could make a positive impact. The 2021 campaign could be a tough one anyways with so much talent leaving the program. It might be best to throw Kreutz into the mix and do a trial by fire.