Signing Day LIVE: 12 Illini Signees In; DL Jerzhan Newton Flips From Maryland
Good morning from the Illini Maven/Sports Illustrated office where we’ll bring you live updates throughout the day of the Illinois football 2020 recruiting class.
We got you set with a signing day primer preview where we detailed Illinois having only 12 commitments as of today, and all but one (four-star receiver Jadon Thompson) is expected to sign today.
NOTE: Please join us as we live-blog and discuss the Illini recruiting class and signing day here in our Illini Signing Day Open Thread. Dive into the conversation — it's easy — by simply going to the top right of the redesigned site and click the follow button.
You can log in with Facebook or Google and either way, it's free. That's right...IT'S FREE. From there, sound off in the comment section and share your reactions and observations with our staff and fellow members of the Illini Maven/Sports Illustrated community as we keep you up to date of the game in real-time.
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6:25 a.m. UPDATE - Laver Gardner signs - Three-star junior college linebacker/nickel Lavar Gardner announced has made it official he’ll be with the Illini program. The 6-foot, 215-pound linebacker led Hutchinson Community College with 65 tackles, nine tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
We have more in an instant recap of his signing HERE.
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6:40 a.m. UPDATE - Phifer Giffin signs - Three-star North Carolina offensive lineman Phifer Griffin has signed his National Letter-of-Intent with Illinois. The 6-foot-6, 290-pounder chose Illinois over scholarship offers from West Virginia, Air Force, Marshall and Liberty after verbally committing in July. He was the 2019 Greater Charlotte Offensive Lineman of the Year and ranked the 28th-best player in North Carolina by 247Sports.com.
We an instant recap of his signing HERE.
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6:50 a.m. UPDATE - Blaise Sparks signs - Illinois confirmed the signing of three-star Florida offensive lineman Blaise Sparks. The 6-foot-7, 300-pounder likely projects to be kicked inside at guard by his position coach and primary recruiter Bob McClain. Sparks committed to Illinois at the end of July over scholarship offers from Pittsburgh, South Florida, Southern Mississippi, Temple and Kent State.
We have an instant recap of his signing HERE.
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7:50 a.m. UPDATE - Kevin Tyler signs - Illinois has officially announced the signing of three-star St. Louis offensive lineman Kevin Tyler. Tyler, who chose the Illini over scholarship offers from Iowa State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Missouri, Purdue and Syracuse, will likely slot in at guard or center in Bob McClain's offensive line.
We have an instant recap of his signing HERE.
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7:55 a.m. UPDATE - Reggie Love signs - While it hasn’t been a likely occurrence lately where Illinois can win over recruits who have scholarship offers from Notre Dame, Penn State, Iowa, and Tennessee, that's exactly what has happened with the announcement of three-star tailback Reggie Love's signing to the Illini.
Love may be given the opportunity in the 2021 season opener in Ireland vs. Nebraska to get his first significant playing time at Illinois when he, Isaiah Williams and soon-to-be official signee James Frenchie complete the offensive skill position trio from Trinity Catholic in St. Louis.
We an instant recap of Love's signing HERE.
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8:40 a.m. UPDATE - James Frenchie signs - Illinois announced the signing of what they hope is a speedy, dynamic playmaker at the slot receiver position in from the James Frenchie. 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.
We an instant recap of Frenchie's signing HERE.
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9:30 a.m. UPDATE - Anthony Shipton signs - One could argue junior college defensive tackle Anthony Shipton could have the most immediate impact of any early signee in Illinois' 2020 class. Shipton's inclusion into Lovie Smith's defense was made official this morning as the California native signed his National Letter-of-Intent.
Shipton, a 305-pound defensive tackle, had 40 tackles, four sacks, 5.5 TFLs, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery as a sophomore at Cerritos College.
We have an instant recap of Shipton's signing HERE.
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10:30 a.m. UPDATE - Cooper Davis signs - Despite the two rival programs not playing each other again until 2027, Cooper Davis added more spice to the Illinois-Missouri rivalry in recruiting.
Davis, who according to Hudl.com is listed at 6-foot-7 and 255-pound pass rusher, had been verbally committed to Missouri’s program since June just nine days after he visited the campus in the summer. However, Missouri’s coaching transition allowed Illinois to regain footing with the 46th-best strong-side defensive end prospect according to 247Sports.com. Davis, a native of officially flipped his commitment last week mostly due to the persistence of defensive line coach Austin Clark.
Davis had 103 tackles, 22 sacks, 39 tackles for loss, 18 quarterback hurries, and one interception as a senior at Viera High School. Davis also had scholarship offers from Minnesota, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Syracuse, Tennessee, UCF, USF, West Virginia, Duke, and Nebraska.
We have more in an instant recap of his signing HERE.
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10:30 a.m. UPDATE - Tre'Von Riggins signs - Just days after becoming the Illini's final verbal pledge of the 2020 early signing period, Tre'Von Riggins signed his National Letter-of-Intent Wednesday morning.
Riggins, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 265 pounds, could possibly contribute early in his career as a big defensive end who could help set the edge against the run. However, it isn’t illogical to see Riggins’ future at the athletic defensive tackle position after a season or two in Lovie Smith’s defensive scheme.
Riggins, who was primarily recruited by defensive line coach Austin Clark and safeties coach Keynodo Hudson (both are Tampa, Fla., natives), is rated by 247Sports.com as the 70th-best defensive tackle in the 2020 class. Riggins chose Illinois over scholarship offers from Miami (Fla.), Florida, Tennessee, Florida State and Arizona State.
We have more in an instant recap of his signing HERE.
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10:50 a.m. UPDATE - Gregory 'Deuce' Spann signs - Gregory Spann, a 6-foot-4 and 194-pound dual-threat quarterback, announced on Twitter last week his intention to verbally commit to Illinois. He made it official Wednesday morning. The commitment came just a few days after he publicly acknowledged late-arriving scholarship offers from Auburn and Florida State to go along with previous interest from Georgia, Miami, Utah, Louisville, Ole Miss and Central Florida.
"This is a legitimate Division 1, Power 5 Conference, Big Ten quarterback," Sports Illustrated recruiting editor/analysis John Garcia Jr. said about Spann to Illini Maven/SI Friday. "He's got a pretty release, very effortless in the 3/4 range, which again in that 6-foot-4 frame is very ideal. He can push the football down the field with relative ease."
We have more in an instant recap of his signing HERE.
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11:20 a.m. UPDATE - BREAKING NEWS - Jerzhan Newton flips from Maryland to Illinois - The only unknown of the December portion of Smith’s fourth recruiting class is now officially signed to Illinois. Smith's staff effectively flipped three-star Maryland commitment Jerzhan Newton to the Illini's 2020 recruiting class.
Newton had been associated with the Terrapins recruiting class since committing in August but took an official visit to the Illinois campus two weeks ago. The three-star defensive pass rusher, who also received scholarship offers from Florida, Florida State and UCF, is ranked by 247Sports.com as the 56th-best strong-side defensive end in the country and provides the Illini with much-needed defensive line depth at a position crippled by injuries throughout the 2019 season.
Newton, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 255 pounds, had 104 tackles, 16 sacks, 29.5 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles as a senior at Clearwater Central Catholic in St. Petersburg, Fla.
We have more in an instant recap of his signing HERE.
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11:30 a.m. UPDATE - Quinton McCoy signs - By my estimation, every Illinois signee has made it official with three-star Florida defensive tackle prospect Quinton McCoy signing his National Letter-of-Intent moments ago.
McCoy, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 261 pounds, received early interest from Iowa State and Louisville, with scholarship offers from FIU, South Florida, Toledo, Southern Mississippi, Bowling Green and Georgia Southern.
While McCoy isn't likely to have the immediate impact as Shipton to the Illini's interior defensive line, he adds depth from the home state of Illinois defensive line coach Austin Clark.
We have more in an instant recap of his signing HERE.
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