The Champaign Room - Illinois Football 2017 Offseason Review: Top Members of the Early Signing PeriodA Fighting Illini community since 2012https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48193/tcr-fave.png2017-12-28T13:05:02-06:00http://www.thechampaignroom.com/rss/stream/165831372017-12-28T13:05:02-06:002017-12-28T13:05:02-06:00MJ Rivers: Quarterback of the future?
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<p>Only QB signed so far gives Illinois some versatility at most important position.</p> <p id="hVchGE">Texas was a big priority for this staff going into 2018, so it's no surprise that they may have landed their biggest fish at the quarterback position from the Lone Star State.</p>
<p id="jvXJIB">MJ Rivers is a high three-star prospect from Frisco, Texas. Rivers brings mobility and a undeniable playmaking ability to the quarterback room, something Lovie and (hopefully) the rest of this offensive coaching staff can learn to utilize effectively. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">SIGNED: Dual threat from Texas.✅<br><br>Welcome to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Illini?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Illini</a> family, <a href="https://twitter.com/King_2_Be?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@King_2_Be</a> ✍️ <a href="https://t.co/dqbwruj2fj">pic.twitter.com/dqbwruj2fj</a></p>— Illini Football (@IlliniFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/IlliniFootball/status/943647935740465154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2017</a>
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<p id="7xSGoG">Watching his film, Rivers reminds a lot of a QB older fans of Illinois should be familiar with: Rohan Davey.</p>
<p id="c5e05R">As a passer he's a bit raw, but he can sling it, throwing for almost 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns this year. Rivers isn't afraid to take chances downfield, which is something Illinois' offense has sorely needed the last several seasons. He can also be incredibly accurate in the short to intermediate route and would be a boon for speed receivers such as Mikey Dudek and grad-transfer Shaedon Meadors.</p>
<p id="3Nnyto">A QB that can get the ball in the hands of his playmakers was what the Illini lacked more than anything last season, so an adept distributor such as Rivers could be a breath of fresh air.</p>
<p id="Tjyseo">And yet, he's so much more. </p>
<p id="7ryBGl">Supremely gifted athletically, Rivers won't blow by you with quickness, but he's a smart runner who's a load to bring down in the open field, as attested by his 1,082 rush yards and 23 rushing TDs.</p>
<p id="YLLVrL">I wouldn't advocate for Rivers to start immediately, as some time to watch and integrate himself to whatever offense Illinois runs next season would be extremely beneficial. However, the sky's the limit for a player of Rivers' caliber as a possible future star awaits.</p>
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https://www.thechampaignroom.com/2017/12/28/16823154/mj-rivers-quarterback-of-the-future-texas-fighting-illini-mikey-dudek-shaedon-meadors-lovie-smithKyle Huisinga2017-12-27T12:27:52-06:002017-12-27T12:27:52-06:00Verdis Brown is Lovie’s biggest recruiting win
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<p>Brown was the final commit of the Early Signing Period. </p> <p id="kzNHsV">The morning of Dec. 22, 2017 was tense for Illini football fans.</p>
<p id="YhaFKh">Rumors had been swirling for hours that Verdis Brown, a former Florida State commit who had been hinting at a pledge to the Illini in recent weeks, was instead leaning toward signing his National Letter of Intent with Missouri. Fortunately, Illini fans were able to give a collective sigh of relief as Brown donned the Illini hat and sent his NLI to Champaign.</p>
<p id="C5UCFd">It’s tough to overstate Verdis Brown’s effect for the Illini. A few key traits that jump out after watching his defensive film is his burst when getting into the backfield and speed when chasing down opposing ballcarriers.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ <a href="https://twitter.com/verdisbrown?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@verdisbrown</a> is coming home.<br><br>Mount Carmel ➡️ IMG ➡️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Illini?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Illini</a> <a href="https://t.co/g9jAMCgbyA">pic.twitter.com/g9jAMCgbyA</a></p>— Illini Football (@IlliniFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/IlliniFootball/status/944290686278365184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2017</a>
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<p id="QQFBjq">Brown spent time at IMG Academy playing on the offensive line, and he was presumed to be an OL recruit at FSU, but Coach Smith has indicated that Brown will at least start out on defense for the Illini. It’s one thing for a D1-bound high school defensive lineman to simply bullrush and overpower less talented opponents, but you know you have someone special when he overcomes high school competition by coupling brute strength with quickness from the snap and straight-line speed in pursuit.</p>
<p id="fQV7rD">The pairing of Calvin Avery with Verdis Brown on the interior of the defensive line will be a nightmare for the conference’s many run-heavy teams in the near future. Together they will anchor Lovie Smith’s defense for years to come and will set the stage for Coach Smith to bring in the linebackers and defensive backs who could provide the Illini with a truly dominant defensive unit.</p>
<p id="h3Lpwp">Having an exciting defense with a real identity will be a very welcome sight for weary Illini fans, and securing Verdis Brown’s commitment was a big step in that direction.</p>
https://www.thechampaignroom.com/2017/12/27/16819524/last-but-not-least-verdis-brown-lovie-smith-recruiting-commit-fsu-defense-illinois-illini-footballMatt Rejc2017-12-26T13:05:02-06:002017-12-26T13:05:02-06:00Calvin Avery will make immediate impact
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<p>Highly touted defensive tackle should get plenty of playing time this upcoming season. </p> <p id="Z6SCV2">At 6-foot-2 inches and 310 pounds, the Texas product Calvin Avery has the size of an NFL defensive tackle. </p>
<p id="XDwgK3">Avery was ranked the ninth best defensive lineman and the 156<sup>th</sup> best recruit in his class of 2018, according to Rivals.com. He was also awarded Under Amour All-American honors and received offers from 25 colleges with a solid football program, including offers from big time programs like Texas, USC, and Oklahoma. </p>
<p id="xmQWgj">His commitment came as a bit of a surprise with many insiders predicting him to stay home and, possibly, sign with TCU. </p>
<p id="VCGTK2">Avery is the highest rated and first four-star recruit to commit to the Fighting Illini under Head Coach Lovie Smith. </p>
<p id="aGXlKO">His massive frame and athleticism allowed him to dominate the opposing lineman throughout high school. Meanwhile, his speed and explosiveness allowed him to get into the backfield and record 18 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in his monstrous junior year. </p>
<p id="k69rs3">When it comes down to it, Avery is every coach’s dream with his ability to always be relentless and persistently play through the whistle. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ <a href="https://twitter.com/_TMBoog?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_TMBoog</a><br><br>Big-time player. He's a consensus top 20 DT in the nation. <a href="https://t.co/Zo41bKQfpX">pic.twitter.com/Zo41bKQfpX</a></p>— Illini Football (@IlliniFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/IlliniFootball/status/943603633618165760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2017</a>
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<p id="xDwAHX">Last season, defensive linemen <span>Bobby Roundtree</span> and <span>Isaiah Gay</span> got lots of playing time and provided a big impact on the defensive line as freshmen. Avery will most likely be heavily involved in the defensive lineman rotation during his first season as well.</p>
<p id="e3UhMQ">The addition of Avery to young playmakers like Bobby Roundtree, <span>Bennett Williams</span> and <span>Nate Hobbs</span> will be fun to watch next season and the Illini will look to improve on their 2-10 record.</p>
<p id="AbGLmo">Simply put, Calvin Avery will be a great player and has potential to become the next Illini defensive lineman to make it to the pros. </p>
https://www.thechampaignroom.com/2017/12/26/16818456/calvin-avery-will-make-immediate-impact-illinois-defense-recruiting-bobby-roundtree-recruitingDaniel Lee