Illinois Football: Top 5 priorities for the Illini class of 2022
5. Tyson Ford – 4-Star – Defensive End
Arguably the biggest strength the Lovie Smith regime has brought to the Illinois football team is the ability to bring in talented defensive linemen. The team is stacked with great defensive ends and tackles this year.
If Illinois wants to continue the building of the defensive line and the great pass rush, they are going to need more defensive line help moving forward. That is where Tyson Ford comes into play.
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound St. Louis native is one of the best players in the country. Rated as a four-star recruit, Ford also ranks as the No. 114 player in the class of 2022, the No. 9 weak-side defensive end in the country and he is the No. 3 player in the state of Missouri.
After the upcoming campaign, Illinois will have a few senior defensive ends depart the program. But there are a handful of talented pass rushers to follow in their footsteps. Young up-and-coming players like Seth Coleman and Keith Randolph Jr. should be able to hold their own.
Illinois was able to pull in Cooper Davis from the class of 2020, and Sedarius McConnell is coming in from the class of 2021. Both of these players will help provide tremendous depth moving forward.
Next. Projected Illini depth chart on defense for 2020. dark
The Illini are going to need to continue adding to this depth. We could add a player like Ford who could come into the program and make an impact from day one. This kid is special, and having him on the team would be a game-changer. That is why he should be a priority for the Illinois football program.