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Coach Beckman announcing the 2013 signing class to media.
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Feb. 6, 2013
Signing Day Central | Recruit Highlights | Signing Day Sights and Sounds | Beckman Press Conference | Golesh Interview
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - University of Illinois head football coach Tim Beckman announced Wednesday the signing of 15 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to play football for the Fighting Illini in 2013. The 15 newest Illini join 10 other newcomers who are already on campus taking classes - five early enrollees and five junior college transfers - in the 25-man 2013 recruiting class.
"The members of the 2013 Fighting Illini recruiting class are an excellent addition to our program," Beckman said. "We were able to add quality depth at several positions and upgraded the total athleticism of the team across the board. These are young men from the state of Illinois and across the country who are committed to building the Illini football team into a championship program. Ten of them are already on campus and will be working with the team through the spring, while the additional 15 will be coming to campus in the summer in preparation for the 2013 season."
The class is ranked in the 39th nationally and fifth in the Big Ten by Scout, and 46th nationally and eighth in the Big Ten by Rivals. It includes 15 skill players and 10 lineman, and features eight players from the state of Illinois, tied for the most since 2008, five from Ohio, three each from California and Florida, two from Michigan and one each from Iowa, Maryland, Texas and Washington, D.C. As a whole, the class includes six state champions, four national champions, and boasts a 2.99 grade point average.
"Each of these young men will have the opportunity to compete for immediate playing time, and I'm sure several will be able to contribute very early in their careers," Beckman continued. "This class of recruits are outstanding young men, excellent students and come from very successful programs at the high school and junior college level, and will be great additions to our current football players."
| 2013 Illinois Football Signees (National Signing Day) | |||||
| Name | Pos | HT | WT | Hometown | High School |
| Aaron Bailey | QB | 6-2 | 220 | Bolingbrook, Ill. | Bolingbrook |
| Jarrod Clements | DL | 6-3 | 275 | Dayton, Ohio | Trotwood Madison |
| James Crawford | DB | 6-2 | 195 | Deerfield, Fla. | St. Thomas Aquinas |
| Caleb Day | DB | 6-1 | 190 | Hilliard, Ohio. | Hilliard Darby |
| Bryce Douglas | DT | 6-2 | 330 | Plainfield, Ill. | Plainfield HS |
| Jaylen Dunlap | DB | 6-1 | 175 | Glenwood, Ill. | Crete-Monee |
| Kendrick Foster | RB | 5-9 | 190 | Peoria, Ill. | Richwoods |
| Michael Hermosillo | WR | 5-10 | 200 | Ottawa, Ill. | Ottawa |
| Merrick Jackson | DL | 6-2 | 320 | Cahokia, Ill. | Althoff Catholic |
| Paul James III | DL | 6-3 | 240 | Miami, Fla. | Norland |
| Darwyn Kelly | DB | 6-1 | 195 | Upper Marlboro, Md. | H.D. Woodson |
| Marchie Murdock | WR | 6-1 | 180 | Arlington, Texas | Legacy |
| Dawuane Smoot | DL | 6-3 | 230 | Groveport, Ohio. | Groveport Madison |
| Dionte Taylor | WR | 6-0 | 170 | Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. | University School |
| Tyler White | TE | 6-5 | 245 | Kalamazoo, Mich. | Plainwell HS |
| 2013 Illinois Football Early Enrollees | |||||
| Name | Pos | HT | WT | Hometown | High School |
| Dillan Cazley | DB | 5-10 | 175 | Charleston, Ill. | Charleston |
| Jesse Chadwell | OL | 6-5 | 260 | Clarkston, Mich. | Clarkston |
| Christian Dilauro | OL | 6-5 | 270 | Uniontown, Ohio | Green |
| Darius Mosely | DB | 5-11 | 185 | O'Fallon, Ill. | O'Fallon Township |
| Austin Schmidt | OL | 6-6 | 275 | Galena, Ohio | Olentangy |
| 2013 Illinois Football Junior College Signees | |||||
| Name | Pos | HT | WT | Hometown | HS/JC |
| Martize Barr | WR | 6-0 | 190 | Washington, D.C. | Calvin Coolidge/Iowa Western CC |
| Abe Cajuste | DT | 6-3 | 290 | Miami, Fla. | North Miami Beach HS/Victor Valley College |
| Eric Finney | STAR | 6-1 | 205 | Corona, Calif. | Centennial HS/College of the Canyons (CA) |
| Dallas Hinkhouse | OL | 6-5 | 275 | Clive, Iowa | West Des Moines Valley/Iowa Western CC |
| Zane Petty | S | 6-1 | 190 | Corning, Calif. | Corning HS/American River College |
