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Rose Hill (KS) DB Levi McLaughlin Commits to Illinois State

The Rose Hill defensive back committed to the Redbirds over offers from South Dakota State, St. Thomas, VMI, and others.
Julio Gonzales, Jr.|
Levi McLaughlin and Illinois State head football coach Brock Spack
Levi McLaughlin and Illinois State head football coach Brock Spack | @7LeviMcLaughlin/X.com

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Illinois State Redbirds

Rose Hill (KS) defensive back Levi McLaughlin has been on the Illinois State coaches' radar ever since he had an outstanding camp at Lindenwood Mega Camp last summer. Since then, he has built an incredible relationship with the staff and has been to campus multiple times, including a prospect camp on June 27.

“They have been recruiting me ever since my performance at Lindenwood last summer. I had been building relationships with Coach Barro (assistant general manager Jake Barro), Coach Calt (defensive recruiting coordinator Max Caltagerone), and Coach Richardson (cornerbacks coach Dru Richardson) throughout the process. I attended a game day last fall and a Junior Day in March, and they stayed in contact with me the entire time,” McLaughlin said.

"At every camp, I consistently ran between a 4.5 and 4.62 laser-timed 40-yard dash, with a personal best of 4.44. I also posted a 36-inch vertical and a 4.1-second 5-10-5 shuttle. I locked down my one-on-one reps and had a great performance at Lindenwood, where I recorded a 10-foot, 2-inch broad jump.”

After another impressive camp, this time at Illinois State, he received an offer from the Red Birds after speaking with head coach Brock Spack and Barro.

“At the camp, they verified my measurements, and I performed consistently with everything I’d shown throughout the summer. During one-on-one drills, I was locking receivers down. After I broke up a really good inside dig route, Coach Barro came over and told me they had seen enough and that I could relax for the rest of the day. After camp, we met again on the 50-yard line, and he told me I had checked every box they were looking for and that he wanted to offer me a scholarship to play at Illinois State.”

Just a few days after his visit to Normal, McLaughlin announced his commitment to Illinois State on June 29, choosing them over other offers from South Dakota State, St. Thomas, VMI, and others.

“From the first time I visited campus, I could picture myself there. The coaches are elite, the support staff is outstanding, and it felt like home! I also want to help bring a championship to Illinois State and reward the coaches for believing in me. When people invest their trust in me, they’re going to get everything I’ve got.”

The staff played a huge role in McLaughlin’s commitment, which he actually made when he was at the camp and had a conversation with Spack.

“Coach Spack first talked with me on the 50-yard line during my Junior Day visit when I was there watching practice, and he told me that I was 'one hell of a player.' After camp, we met again at the 50, and he told me I had checked every box they were looking for and that he wanted to offer me! I looked at my family, then looked back at Coach Spack, and I told him, 'I’m committed.' He reached out, shook my hand, and welcomed me to the program,” McLaughlin said.

He plays both linebacker and defensive back at Rose Hill, but the Red Birds are recruiting him for the secondary. But to McLaughlin, it doesn’t matter where he lines up, as he just wants to win.

“Illinois State is recruiting me as a defensive back, and they’ll continue to evaluate how my body develops over the next year. But they know I’m capable of playing multiple positions, and I’m comfortable playing wherever they need me. At the end of the day, whatever helps us win is where I want to play.”

Last season, the Rockets finished 6-4 and made the playoffs. McClaughlin recorded 51 tackles,14 pass breakups, five tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. This season, he is looking to build on that and make a run at a state championship.

“I believe we have the potential to be a state title contender this year if we can get the offense clicking. I’ve had a great offseason and feel like I’m playing at a high level. Defensively, we’re running a 4-2-5 scheme, and I’ll be playing strong safety. If our defense can force everything into the alley and let me make plays, I think we’re going to have a really successful season.”

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Julio Gonzales Jr.
JULIO GONZALES, JR.

Julio Gonzales Jr. is a national recruiting analyst for FCS Football Central. He has previously written for Mike Farrell Sports and Rivals. There, he covered recruiting for JUCO Football, UTSA, Texas Tech, and SMU. He continues to cover recruiting on his Sports Madness page on Substack. He also serves as a key recruiting contributor for multiple other OnSI sites. He's from Lubbock, Texas, and graduated from Lubbock Christian University. You can reach him at:jrgonzales213@gmail.com.

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