The Anchor recruit

In-state kids do best when they stay in-state.

*On Wednesday 6-foot-3, 220-pound Arthur-Lovington (Ill.) High School 2023l football recruit Kaden Feagin committed to the Fighting Illini over Notre Dame and Iowa....rate Feagin as the top all around football player in the state 2023 class.....can play running back/tight end/rush end or outside linebacker....one of the top three 2023 in-state recruits along with Rock Island Alleman tackle Charles Jagusah and Kankakee defensive back Jyaire Hill....always write about in-state anchor recruits to build your program with in Champaign..

*Anchor recruit=highly recruited in-state prospect that chooses Illinois over other top schools....gets the ball rolling becomes the pied piper for other in-state prospects to follow, 'hey look who we have committed' 'look what player believed in us'..... Illini football can 'sell' the 'building something special' in Champaign hype....commitment from a prospect they can 'build around/create excitement....below a brief history (good and not so good) of some Illini in-state 'anchor football recruits' of the past.

*Jim Juriga line (Wheaton North), Brian Ward line (Hinsdale South) Illini recruiting class of 1982

Illini recruiting class of 1981 signed only five out of state high school prospects....over 20 junior college/transfers from other schools with Illinois....Notre Dame and Michigan were taking what top prospects they wanted out of the state that era.....1982 White's staff scored major recruiting wins in-state getting commitments from then prestigious Parade All American linemen Juriga and Ward....signing the pair made national headlines cause they were the first in-state 'blue chippers' signed by White's staff since being hired 1980....both picked Illinois over Notre Dame and Michigan offers......Juriga four-year starter on the offensive line (tackle/guard) all Big Ten/named to the Fighting Illini football all-century team....Ward four-year letterman who started five games at tackle/career limited cause of injury..

Next two classes (83-84) White's staff signed in-state blue chippers (all rated 4 stars/higher by then prep football recruiting guru Joe Terranova) tight end Scott Davis (Plainfield), tackle Mark Dennis (Washington), wide receiver Bob Westerkamp (Montini), punter Darren DePew (Granite City), lineman Mark McGowan (St. Rita), linebackers Jeff Martin (Homewood-Flossmoor), Matt Studtmann (Belleville West), defensive lineman Ed Smith (Chicago Robeson) and top in-state quarterback Jim Bennett (West Aurora).

*Dana Howard linebacker (East St. Louis) Illini recruiting class of 1990

Then Illini defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Lou Tepper was the lead recruiter for Howard....Parade All American picked Illinois over the U and Nebraska when both were 'national powers'....First team All American/Butkus award winner....like White, early on John Mackovic's staff was getting beat for top in state talent by Holtz's Norte Dame/Michigan but getting Howard helped elevate Illini recruiting in the state....Illini 1991 class signed three of the top seven prospects in the state who were tackle John Horn (Joliet Catholic), fullback Marvell Scott (Wheaton Central) and quarterback Johnny Johnson (North Chicago).

*Kurt Kittner quarterback (Schaumburg) Illini recruiting of 1998

Committed to Ron Turner's program summer of 1997...you know how his Illini career turned out...Illini recruiting class of 1998 in-state included blue-chip running back Anioneo Harris (Bolingbrook), linemen Tony Pashos (Lockport), David Diehl (Brother Rice), running back Rocky Harvey (Chicago Dunbar) and quarterback/wide receiver Walter Young (Rich East).

*Isiah 'Juice' Williams quarterback (Chicago Vocational) Illini recruiting class of 2006

Committed to Ron Zook's Illini program summer of 2005....Rashard Mendenhall was in Zook's staff first recruiting class 2005 but he had committed to Ron Turner's Illini summer of 2004 as a junior with his brother Walter/stuck with Illinois after Turner let go....Williams commit summer of 2005 led to a solid class of 2006 in-state haul....carried over to the in-state classes of 07/08/09.

*Aaron Bailey quarterback (Bolingbrook) Illini recruiting class of 2013

Committed to then first year Illini head coach Tim Beckman's program fall of 2012....recruited to a run first spread offense...after 2012, Beckman fired co-offensive coordinators Chris Beatty/Billy Gonzalez....hired Bill Cubit to replace who installed a pass first spread offense....Bailey didn't fit and later transferred to Northern Iowa....obviously Beckman's staff not able to take advantage of the Bailey commitment in the state.

*Class of 2017 wide receiver Ricky Smalling (Brother Rice) was the highest rated in-state (4 star) recruit during the Lovie Smith era...Smalling had early success in Champaign but it never translated to much in-state recruiting wins....injuries/lack of playing time ended his Illini career after three seasons.

*Kaden Feagin best all around in-state commitment to Illinois since Terry Hawthorne out of East St Louis signed in the 2009 recruiting class.....hopefully Feagin can have the same positive anchor effect other early in-state commitments have had in the past.....long suffering Illinois football fans sure hope so..