The 88 Illini: #16-#13

Someone asked on Slack about how many more revisions I'd be making to the 88 Illini list (I change it CONSTANTLY all summer) and I wanted to share my answer here as well as there. This year, once reaching the starters, I've gone to the list to make my normal adjustments and... I feel good about every placement? That's rare. Let me try to explain.

Last year, my biggest overthink was dropping Hank Beatty from the top-10 down to #13. I got to the top-20, saw that I had Beatty something like #6, told myself "you're overthinking him gaining nearly 100 yards in the Citrus Bowl after Pat Bryant opted out", and I dropped him to #13 on the list. He should have stayed at #6. (Honestly, he should have been #3.)

They're not all overthinks, however. I dropped Kaleb Patterson very late in the summer last year (and he eventually lost his starting spot, transferring to Kansas State after the season). I boosted Tanner Arkin into the top-10 very late and he proved me right. I get these gut feels about a player and their participation that season and I'll head to the list and move them around. I care way, WAY too much about getting the numbers exactly right.

This year, when I look at this top-16, I'm not sure there's anyone I'm considering moving? We just saw a full practice on Saturday, and that's when we see things like "that guy is in a tight battle for his starting spot" and I rush home to move players around, but after this practice, I'm not sure there's any single player I have in the wrong spot?

Numbers one, two, three, and four on my list feel like they're set in stone. Perhaps more than any other list I've made in the last 17 years. If you know me at all, #1 on this list was an absolute lock. #2 pretty much has to be #2 and that means #3 is clearly #3 because that player would be #2 if it wasn't for #2. And then, after those three, #4 is an absolute lock for #4.

And it feels very similar all the way down to #16? It's weird. I've never had this experience. I have no idea what it means but to me, this team has a very clear hierarchy at the top. We go as these guys go.

Let's get to the next four.