Illini Picking Up A Chevy?; 3-Star WR Chevalier Brenson Puts Illinois In His Top 6
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- While he says his recruitment is still open, Chevalier Brenson has given Illinois fans a lot to hope for with his top six finalist choices.
The three-star wide 2021 receiver prospect from the St. Louis area posted his top six finalist choices and Illinois was one of two Power Five Conference programs listed along with Kansas State. Brenson’s other four choices were Memphis, Colorado State, Toledo and Ball State.
“First I want thank God for everything he has blessed me with and my family for supporting me and my dream of playing college football at the next level,” Brenson said in a tweet on July 4. “My recruitment process is still open but I will be focusing on these 6 schools moving forward!”
Brenson, who goes by the nickname “Chevy”, was more known earlier at his high school (Christian Brothers College High School in O’Fallon, Mo.) for his talents on the basketball floor, is a very raw football prospect after having played just one full season of competitive football. However, despite his skills and technique being undisciplined due to a lack of coaching, Brenson’s size and body composition (6-foot-4 and 195 pounds) make him an immediate Division 1 athlete on the football field and a big target for quarterbacks to find.
As a big target receiver with superior hands and body control, Brenson is in the same mold as current Illini 2021 verbal commit Patrick Bryant but might have a little bit more speed. The Illini are the most recent school to offer Brenson a scholarship and have moved fast since that June 12th offer on their recruitment of him in the hopes of continuing its current success and tradition of recruiting the St. Louis metro area very well.
In this last 2020 class, Illinois reloaded its skill position players with three-star tailback Reggie Love and three-star wide receiver James Frenchie from St. Louis high school powerhouse Trinity Catholic. This is one year removed from acquiring Isaiah Williams, Illinois’ highest ranked quarterback recruit since Isiah “Juice” Williams in 2006, and four-star linebacker Shammond Cooper. With the commitment and signing of Brenson, Illini fans could see an all-St. Louis “Isaiah to Chevy” combination through the air a few years from now.
“St. Louis has been good to us,” Illinois head coach Lovie Smith said on the Big Ten Network during the last December signing period. “That’s an area we’ll continue to recruit. Guys buy into us. We feel like we’re their home university too."
Due to the NCAA recruiting limitations since March due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Brenson has been unable to take an official visit to the University of Illinois campus but may have the opportunity to commit after just virtual meetings just like nine other prospects have done in the Illini’s current 2021 recruiting class from May 1 through the first week of July.