Illinois Football: Illini sign class of 2021 center Josh Kreutz

The leader on the offensive line is the center, so Illinois football having a dominating player at this position is extremely important.

With a big roster change coming, the Illini are going to be in desperate need of a solid center. That is what they are getting with the addition of Josh Kreutz. After committing back on July 9, Kreutz has now put pen to paper and signed on with Illinois.

Kreutz is a 6-foot-2, 275-pound center from Loyola Academy and resides in Wilmette, Illinois. He is rated as a three-star recruit, the No. 1043 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 13 center in the country. He is also the No. 26 player in the state of Illinois.

Breakdown of Kreutz’s  impact on Illinois

Illinois had a great center the last four years in Doug Kramer. He was an All-Big Ten honorable mention player this season as a senior. But he most likely won’t be back with the team in 2021. That leaves a massive hole in the middle of the Illinois offensive line.

The crazy part about Kramer leaving is the fact Illinois doesn’t have much of a backup plan. Verdis Brown played some center in high school, but there isn’t much experience behind Kramer at the college level.

I see Kreutz coming into the Illinois program and potentially starting from day one at center. This kid is almost a top 1000 recruit, and he has the NFL pedigree of his father, Olin, who played for the Chicago Bears.

Illinois is void of a solid center for 2021. Kreutz was a great get by the previous coaching staff and should be a great Illini the next four years.