LB Smith adjusts to life at Hargrave

Villa Park (Ill.) Willowbrook linebacker Rahkeem Smith committed to Illinois back in February. Is the 6-foot-1, 220-pounder with 4.69-second speed still heading there or has he opened up his recruitment?

"I'm committed to Illinois, I'm not looking elsewhere," he said. "I like the coaching staff and players there. Everyone there wants to play and they are all on an even level with the new coaching staff. The new staff is great, I was there all summer and I like everyone from the lifting coaches to the academic advisors, all the people around there are good people."

In order to obtain eligibility to head back to Illinois, Smith has enrolled at Hargrave this year.

"It's tough, but you've got to do what you got to do and if you want to get out of here you're going to do everything right and get out as fast as you can," he said. "I wouldn't call it punishment because if I were to do what I was supposed to in high school I wouldn't be here right now. So you've got to look at it as you owe this to yourself to get where you need to be, that's how I look at it.

"The adjustment here hasn't been that bad. Some days you say you're not going to get up, but then one of your teammates tells you you've got to, but we've all come together as brothers and we don't let anyone quit on us."

What does the three-star prospect enjoy about the Virginia school?

"I like the camaraderie from the people we live with, we know there's really not any entertainment, so we'll go into someone's room and rap for hours or tell jokes and just hang out after a long day," he said. "I know if I were at home, I'd be out or in my car, but here you've got to work for what you've got. I could be in worse situations and if I were at home or at a junior college there would be more temptation beacause you've got free time to get in trouble and then you'll never get to do what you're supposed to."

One thing in particular Smith likes is the coaches at Hargrave.

"The coaches are great. The first day I met coach Prunty in his office he told me all this stuff was going to happen and up to this point it has all come true," he said. "I thought no way all of it was going to happen, but the coaches do everything for us and they are all great guys. They are not too hard on us and they know when we're frustrated with the military stuff or otherwise."

The No. 52 linebacker in the country in 2005 has been really impressed by this very talented Tiger team.

"This team is great. I've never seen a better group of athletes around. My high school didn't have athletes like this. I got in trouble the first couple days because the coaches told me I was trying to make too many plays. I'm not used to being one of many guys on the field, I'm used to running everywhere," he said. "This is crazy here because you'll see defensive tackles chasing down running backs, and cornerbacks popping wide receivers in practice. Some of these guys are extremely underrated and a few are not signed and I want to help them get offers too. They have the talent and are as good as some of the guys in college I've seen."

With all the talent he's playing with, what has he learned from them already?

"You learn a lot of things, I've learned to compete from Darius Dewberry, his motor is non-stop. Then you've got quarterback Jarrett Dunston who has shown leadership and I've learned that from him," he said. "Then you've got Callahan and Alaeze who lead by example and I've just learned a lot from everyone."

Smith has his mind set on one specific goal this fall.

"I want to qualify as fast as I can to get out of here," he said. "I'm going to do what coach Prunty wants me to do for him and play how he wants me to play. The coaches have particularly been working with me on my tackling because my problem is that I don't always stay low."

The No. 19 player in Illinois last season accounted for 113 tackles and six sacks.