Three-star LB Neal decides
Three-star linebacker T.J. Neal took his official visit this past weekend. The trip finalized things for the 6-foot-1, 225-pounder as he made a decision earlier this evening.
"I committed about an hour ago to Illinois," he said. "I talked to Coach Ward and Coach Beckman. They were very excited and Coach Beckman was ecstatic.
Advertisement
"They were welcoming me to the family."
So, what made Neal make the pick?
"It was the whole thing," he said. "I liked everything about it, the coaches, my host, the recruits around there, the players and the set up of the school, stadium and weight room. There wasn't anything I didn't like about it."
The visit was Neal's first to Champaign.
"It was my first ever time being down there and it was what I expected," he said. "As I said, everything stuck out to me. I liked everything about the coaches.
"I feel like they really care about the players, they joke around and the more time I spent, the more I saw about who they are."
Illinois is looking at Neal as an inside linebacker and has even mentioned the possibility of playing early.
"They said I have a great opportunity, a great chance to come in and play right away."