Reuben Unije signs with Illinois

Reuben Unije signed with Illinois on Wednesday in the first day of the Early Signing Period.

Unije, a 6-foot-5, 303-pound offensive tackle from Bradenton, Florida’s IMG Academy, announced his commitment via a tweet.

He took a visit to Illinois on Dec. 8 and called said “Champaign felt at home” in a tweet.

Unije had offers from Southeastern Conference schools like Tennessee and Ole Miss, but he chose Lovie Smith’s Fighting Illini.

Illinois safeties coach Donnie Abraham coached at Unije’s IMG Academy before taking the job at Illinois in February.

Unije, although gargantuan and astonishingly nimble for his size, is a project. He hasn’t played football long enough to pick up the nuances, and because of this, his on the field play is extremely tough to rate.

From his film you’ll see the highest highs and some inconsistent footwork and finishes — and that’s on a highlight film. Is the variety a sign that he’s learning the game on the fly, possessing incredible strength and athleticism prior to mastering the intricacies or playing the line, or is this the type of player he’s going to be.

Continue following The Champaign Room for breaking news coverage of Illinois during the Early Signing Period.