Illini 2020 Signee: WR James Frenchie
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When you’re 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, you better have superior athleticism and playmaking ability to be a primary target at the Power 5 Conference level.
This is what Illinois coaches are hoping James Frenchie has and will showcase in the slot of its spread offense in future years. Frenchie is a player who can create scoring opportunities in a hurry and proved that with 26 total touchdowns in his final two seasons of high school action at Trinity Catholic in St. Louis.
Frenchie is one of two wide receiver commits in Illinois’ 2020 recruiting class but Jadon Thompson is a completely different athlete and won’t be signing this week so Frenchie can get all the attention.
Despite having Western Michigan transfer Chase Brown as one returner with several years of eligibility, one of the ways Frenchie could earn playing time early in his college career is in special teams as he averaged 54 yards per kick return in his final high school season.
Frenchie was a high school teammate of current Illinois freshman quarterback Isaiah Williams and the duo combined to lead Trinity Catholic to the 2018 Missouri Class 4 state championship. Even without Williams in 2019, Frenchie had 33 catches for 453 yards and five receiving touchdowns while also adding 264 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
Last season, the numerous wide receiver injuries allowed walk-on Donny Navarro to emerge as a slot target option to the tune of 21 catches for 268 yards and two touchdowns. Navarro, a transfer from Valparaiso, managed to earn a scholarship late in the season. Illini coaches are likely hoping Frenchie might be able to help the slot receiver depth and possibly give a much-needed boost to Illinois’ screen pass game on the perimeter.
Frenchie chose Illinois over scholarship offers from Iowa State, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Purdue, and Tennessee.