The Illinois football coaching staff has added another defensive target to their recruiting board as three-star defensive end Deon Pate (FL) received a scholarship offer from the program on Wednesday. Pate, a current Appalachian State commit, is rated as the nation’s No. 1143 overall player by 247Sports.
Pate committed to the Mountaineers during an unofficial visit on July 20.
Blessed to receive and offer from University of Illinois! pic.twitter.com/eoAPevbkBK
— Deon Pate (@DeonPate34) December 14, 2016
Pate has also received additional Power 5 interest from Rutgers (scholarship offer), Maryland, Purdue, Missouri, South Carolina, and Wake Forest.
According to Scout’s Corey Bender, Pate is a “forceful defensive lineman” that’s displayed an ability to wrap up opposing ball carriers with ease.
Pate is a hard-nosed defender that does a good job of stunning and disengaging off blockers, and is at his best when operating around the line of scrimmage. He possesses the frame and build to eventually shift inside to defensive tackle, but overall, this is a powerful kid that has a reputation for punishing the ball carrier.