Signing Day Central

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois football team signed 14 high school student-athletes during the December signing period, which began Wednesday and runs through Friday. The Illini will welcome the signees to campus for the 2021 season. 

Position Breakdown
DB: 5
OL: 4
LB: 2
DL: 1
QB: 1
WR: 1

State Breakdown
Florida: 5
Illinois: 3
Georgia: 2
Texas: 2
Missouri: 1
Virginia: 1

Signees

Zachary Barlev
OL | 6-4 | 285
Bolingbrook, Ill. | Plainfield East
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN
• Two-star recruit by Rivals
• Position ranks: #84 (247), #107 (ESPN)
• State ranks: #44 (ESPN), #46 (247)
• Also competed in wrestling, baseball, track and field, and golf in high school
• Committed to Illinois on July 24, 2020
• Offers included Bowling Green, Columbia and Harvard
• Chose Illinois because, "It is my state's school."
• Plans to major in mathematics

Patrick Bryant
WR | 6-3 | 190
Jacksonville, Fla. | Atlantic Coast
•  Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals
•  Position ranks: #146 (247), #149 (ESPN)
•  State ranks:  #104 (247), #132 (ESPN)
•  44 receptions for 942 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior
•  45 receptions for 684 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior
•  128 receptions, 2261 receiving yards, and 23 touchdowns during his high school career
•  Committed to Illinois on June 14, 2020
•  Offers include Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, Miami, Minnesota, Penn State, Florida State, Virginia and Virginia Tech

Samari Collier
QB | 6-3 | 220
DeSoto, Texas | DeSoto
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals
• Position ranks (dual-threat QB): #31 (247), #33 (ESPN)
• State ranks: #139 (247), #242 (ESPN)
• 2019 First Team All-District
• Completed 104-of-178 passes, 1,661 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns and 349 rushing yards as a senior
• Completed 164-of-291 passes, 2,641 passing yards, 33 passing touchdowns and 482 rushing yards as a junior
• Committed to Illinois on December 7, 2019, becoming the first commit to the Illini's class
• Offers included New Mexico State and Toledo

Daniel Edwards                                                         
DB | 6-0 | 160
Winter Park, Fla. | Winter Park 
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals
•  Position ranks: #68 (ESPN), #108 (247)
•  State ranks: #124 (ESPN), #144 (247)
•  40 tackles, four interceptions, 89 interception return yards, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 21 pass deflections as a sophomore
•  Competed in track and field in high school, finishing fifth at the 2019 state championships in the 4x100
•  Committed to Illinois on May 21, 2020
•  Offers included Auburn, Louisville, Miami, Ole Miss, and Florida State
•  Chose Illinois because he, "Felt like it's the best way to get me to my goal."
•  Plans to major in business

Joshua Gesky
OL | 6-5 |  285
Manteno, Ill. | Manteno
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals
• Position ranks: #163 (ESPN), #207 (247Sports)
• State Rank: #32 (Rivals), #48 (ESPN), #59 (247)
• Two time Academic All-State 
• Two-time Interstate 8 All-Conference team
• All-Area 
• All-Conference in track and field as a junior and senior
• Committed to Illinois on August 9, 2020
• Offers included Eastern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Southern Illinois, and Syracuse
• Chose Illinois because, "It is a close Big Ten school and it has amazing academics."
• Plans to major in business

Prince Green
DB | 6-2 | 190
Griffin, Ga. | Griffin
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals
• Position ranks (wide receiver): #203 (ESPN), #234 (247)
• State ranks: #130 (247), #133 (ESPN)
• 17 receptions, 324 reception yards, four receiving touchdowns, 33 tackles, 2.0 TFLs, one fumble recovery returned for a touchdowns, and six interceptions with one returned for a touchdown as a senior
•  Committed to Illinois on May 3, 2020
•  Offers included Akron, Coastal Carolina, Kentucky, Liberty,  Minnesota, and Purdue

Joshua Kreutz
OL | 6-2 | 260
Bannockburn, Ill. | Loyola Academy
• Three-star recruit by 274Sports, ESPN, and Rivals
• Position ranks: #11 (ESPN), #12 (247)
• State ranks: #22 (ESPN), #25 (247), #35 (Rivals)
• Led Loyola to the 2018 Illinois Class 8A state title at Illinois' Memorial Stadium
• Committed to Illinois on July 9, 2020
• Offers included Ball State, Central Michigan, Memphis and Northern Illinois
• Father, Olin Kreutz, was a six-time Pro Bowler with the Chicago Bears

Sedarius McConnell
DL | 6-3 | 255
Atlanta, Ga. | Westlake
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals
• Position ranks: #72 (247), #124 (ESPN)
• State ranks: #101 (247), #114 (ESPN)
• Also played basketball and lacrosse in high school
• Committed to Illinois on May 20, 2020
• Offers included Akron, Coastal Carolina, Duke, Liberty, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest and West Virginia
• Plans to major in mechanical engineering

Dylan Rosiek
LB | 6-0 | 220
East Lake, Fla. | East Lake
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN
• Two-star recruit by Rivals
• Position ranks: #51 (ESPN), #64 (247)
• State ranks: #188 (247), #215 (ESPN)
• Voted team MVP as a junior
• 2018 ATH All-State third team
• Also wrestled in high school
• Committed to Illinois on June 17, 2020
• Offers included Air Force, Army, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale
• Chose Illinois because "I felt that this would put me in the best place to succeed and achieve my dream of playing at the next level."
• Plans to major in kinesiology

DD Snyder
S | 6-0 | 175
Tampa, Fla. | Tampa Catholic
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals
• Position ranks:  #59 (ESPN), #148 (247)
• State ranks: #120 (ESPN),  #229 (247)
• 2019 Defensive Coaches Award
• 2019 Best Defensive Back 
• 2018 Coaches Award 
• 43 tackles, 3.0 TFL, four interceptions, 78 interception return yards, two pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries as a senior
• 55 tackles, five interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and six pass deflections during his high school career
• Committed to Illinois on July 6, 2020
• Offers included Bowling Green, Buffalo, Coastal Carolina, Duke, FLorida Atlantic,Indiana, NC State, UCF, USF, and Washington State
• Chose Illinois because "I feel like it's a place I'm ready to call home."
• Plans to major in communications

Tyler Strain
DB | 5-11 | 175
Fort Worth, Texas | Pace
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN
• Two-star recruit by Rivals
• Position ranks:  #114 (ESPN), #122 (247)
• State ranks: #173 (247), #188 (ESPN)
• 109 tackles, 3.0 TFL, three interceptions, nine pass deflections,  two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries during his high school career
• 27 rush attempts, 339 rushing yards, 18 receptions for 401 yards, one receiving touchdown and three rushing touchdowns during his high school career
• Also competed in track and field in high school
• Committed to Illinois on July 24, 2020
• Offers included South Alabama, Tulane, and USF
• Chose Illinois because, "I felt home."
• Plans to major in business and management

Kalen Villanueva
LB | 6-2 | 215
Falls Church, Va. | Justice 
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN
• Two-star recruit by Rivals
• Position ranks: #126 (247), #169 (ESPN)
• State rank: #51 (247), #52 (ESPN)
• Committed to Illinois on July 8, 2020
• Offers included Army, Campbell, Navy, Pennsylvania, and William & Mary
• Plans to major in psychology

Joriell Washington
DB | 6-3 | 195
Fort Myers, Fla. | Fort Myers Senior
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, and Rivals
• Position ranks: #81 (ESPN), #109 (247)
• State ranks: #148 (247), #150 (ESPN)
• 2020 News-Press Big 15
• 2019 All-Area team
• 2020 First-Team safety
• Led Fort Myers to back-to-back conference championships in 2019 and 2018
• Also competed in track and field, winning Rookie of the Year in 2018
• His Uncle, Jammi German, played for the Atlanta Falcons (three years) and Cleveland Browns (two years)
• Committed to Illinois on June 19, 2020
• Offers included Boston College, Florida Atlantic, Iowa State, Oregon, South Mississippi, Toledo, and USF

Brody Wisecarver
OL | 6-5 | 290
Chesterfield, Mo. | Osage 
• Four-star recruit by ESPN
• Three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals
• Position ranks: #28 (ESPN), #30 (247), #51 (Rivals)
• State ranks: #4 (ESPN), #8 (Rivals), #10 (247) 
• 2018, 2019, and 2020 All-Conference and All-District 
• 2019 All-State
• 2019 Gateway Sports Venue Top 11 O-Lineman
• 2019 STL HS Sports All-Metro first team
• 2019 6A Missouri state champions
• Committed to Illinois on May 23, 2020
• Offers included Arizona, Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan State and West Virginia
• Chose Illinois because, "For the biochemistry program, the football program and a chance to go to the NFL."
• Plans to major in biochemistry