Illinois Football: Illini sign class of 2021 safety DD Snyder

I would say one of the biggest weaknesses for the Illinois football team in 2020, and really the last five years, has been the secondary.

Illinois is trying to correct those weaknesses via the recruiting market. DD Snyder is a player who the Illini coaching staff targeted, and he officially signed on with the Orange and Blue on Wednesday.

Snyder is a 6-foot, 175-pound safety from Tampa Catholic High School and resides in Tampa, Florida. He is rated as a three-star recruit, the No. 1325 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 112 safety in the nation. He is also the No. 176 player in the state of Florida.

Breakdown of Snyder’s impact on Illinois

As I have said, the Illinois secondary, specifically at safety, is pretty weak. Tony Adams transitioned over to safety but he is gone after the 2020 campaign. Sydney Brown and Derrick Smith both return for one more year, but they will be gone after the 2021 season.

Beyond those three, I am not completely sure we have a solidified safety on the team. Depth issues like the one with the safety position are why we have struggled so much over the last few years.

Thankfully, we have Snyder coming into the Illinois program. The kid can come in during the summer and get stronger. He won’t need to start in year one, but we may need him as a backup.

The safety position worries me in 2021. I love the starters but the depth isn’t there. Snyder will hopefully progress quickly. Don’t be shocked if, by 2022, you see Snyder as the starting safety for the Illini.