Illinois Lands Defensive Line Commit in a Big Week for Bret Bielema

Crim, listed at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, is a three-star prospect who ranks among the top 25 recruits in his home state of Ohio, per 247 Sports. The Lima native broke out during his junior campaign, racking up an impressive 107 tackles and 12 sacks.

The Illinois coaching staff took notice of Crim's impressive season, extending him an offer in January. Four months later, the Illini were able to seal the deal, beating out schools such as Kentucky, Boston College and Iowa State.

Crim's athleticism stands out on film, and his potential to line up at multiple spots makes him a potentially valuable weapon for defensive coordinator Aaron Henry, who would no doubt take full advantage of that flexibility.

Illinois has quietly built a strong track record of developing defensive line talent under Bret Bielema. In recent years, the program has sent standout linemen Jer’Zhan Newton (Commanders) and Keith Randolph Jr. (Packers) to the NFL. At 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds, current senior linebacker Gabe Jacas could morph into a 4-3 defensive end in the pros.

Crim has years of work ahead of him, but perhaps he can become one of the next in a long line of standouts on the Illinois defensive front.

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