Illinois Football: 2023 in-state defensive lineman receives Illini offer

In-state recruiting is a must for the Illinois football program, and that is their mindset for one of their recent scholarship offers.

A strong point for the Illini right now is the defensive line. Keeping the front three strong is a priority. Being able to pull in solid defensive linemen who are also in-state recruits would be optimal. Someone like Brooks Bahr would fit in well.

Bahr is a 6-foot-6, 250-pound defensive lineman from Loyola Academy and resides in Wilmette, Illinois. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 72 defensive lineman in the class of 2023. He is also the No. 9 player coming out of the state of Illinois.

The recruitment of Bahr has yet to heat up, as it looks like Illinois is his first scholarship offer. But there is still plenty of time. The early signing period for the 2023 class isn’t until December of next year.

Why is the Illinois football team pursuing Bahr?

There are a few great attributes that I think Bahr could bring to the Illini and help the program in the first couple of years. The first attribute is his size.

Bahr is just now into his junior year and already he is 6-foot-6, 250-pounds. The physical framework is there to develop him into a solid defensive lineman. He has the size of someone like JJ Watt, who was also coached by current Illinois head coach, Bret Bielema.

The initial burst off the line of scrimmage is solid as well. Behr can get into and around the offensive tackle quickly, which enables him to get to the quarterback.

I think there is a rawness to Bahr’s game, though. He has a ton of room to grow, and I think the Illinois coaching staff could help him in various ways develop as a defensive lineman. Bahr would be a great in-state snag for 2023.