Illinois Football: Illini focus on defense with offer to Kentucky OLB
The Illinois football coaching staff is leaving no stone unturned as they continue to offer players who will help the program win in the future.
So far, the 2022 class is looking good. They have a national recruiting ranking of No. 27 in the country, and Illinois already has eight players pledged. But, out of those eight commitments, exactly zero are from the defensive side of the ball. That could all change, though, as the Illini are now targeting Davis Joyner.
Joyner is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound outside linebacker from Frederick Douglass High School and resides in Lexington, Kentucky. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 116 outside linebacker in the nation. He is also the No. 19 player coming out of Kentucky for 2022.
Illinois is just Joyner’s most recent offer, as he has roughly seven scholarships on the board. The Illini seem to be the biggest offer as of right now, but some of the other teams to like what they see in Joyner include Kansas, Toledo and Akron.
What would a player like Joyner bring to the Illinois football team?
I want to first start off by saying, the size that Joyner brings to the table doesn’t scream outside linebacker. Usually, a player who is 6-foot-3, 205-pounds plays some type of defensive back role.
With that being said, from what I see, I think Joyner would be a killer safety for the Illini. I love the kid’s speed and the way he plays the game. He comes at the offensive player with such ferocity. That is what I would like in the middle of the Illini secondary.
It does look like Joyner has the ability to drop back in coverage, which is always great experience to enter the college ranks with. He has good vision for the ball and can see what the quarterback is doing.
Next. 5-star running back showing interest from Illini. dark
This is a good offer by Illinois. I am not sure where Joyner would rank nationally. I would assume by his offers, this kid is somewhere between 1,300-1,600. But, honestly, that doesn’t really matter. The Illini see something with him, and I think he would be a great addition to the program.