Despite having an already stout defensive line, the Illinois football program decided to add a talented pass rusher out of the state of Georgia.
Sedarius McConnell committed to Illinois back on May 20 and has stuck to his commitment. He has now put pen to paper to make his pledge official.
McConnell is a 6-foot-3, 260-pound strongside defensive end from Westlake High School and resides in Atlanta, Georgia. He is rated as a three-star recruit, the No. 1217 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 75 strongside defensive end in the country. He is also the No. 110 player in the state of Georgia.
Breakdown of McConnell’s impact on Illinois
The starters for Illinois at defensive end are quite impressive. They have a solid group of pass rushers returning led by Seth Coleman and Keith Randolph Jr.
I believe Coleman and Randolph both have All-Big Ten caliber talent. But they are going to need some relief at times. That is why building out the depth at defensive end is so important.
I see McConnell coming in and getting playing time from day one. According to Luke Lowry of Illini Pulse, McConnell will be enrolling early. This is great news so that he can get up to speed. Illinois is going to need him as one of the backups in 2021.
I love what Illinois has on the defensive line. Someone like McConnell will come in and be a factor right away. In a couple of years, the talented Georgia native will then get the full-time starting nod.