Early signing day ’23: Spack happy with balance in Illinois State’s recruiting class

Illinois State’s signing class includes quarterback Jake Rubley, son of former NFL QB T.J. Rubley (Photo courtesy KStateSports.com) 

By Dan Verdun

Illinois State’s Brock Spack not only likes the stabilty of this year’s December signing class, the veteran head coach feels it’s “a little more balanced than we’ve had the past.”

The Redbirds announced the signing of 23 players — 18 from the prep ranks and five from the transfer portal — Wednesday.

“We were able to combine our high school players with some transfers,” Spack said via Zoom. “I think all of us that are dealing with the transfer portal are getting better at it. We use it as supplemental to our high school recruits. Our high school recruiting is our main focus.”

Spack added that it’s long been his belief that a football team is “built from the inside out.”

Thus, that’s often the focus of each Redbird recruiting class.

“It starts with your fronts on both sides of the ball,” Spack said. “Our depth up front has been addressed pretty formidably with the last two recruiting cycles.”

QB additions

ISU added a pair of quarterbacks, FBS transfer Jake Rubley and high school recruit Beckham Pellant.

“Having two quarterbacks is always good,” Spack said, pointing out that both possessed quick releases. “We got our No. 1 guy in both quarterbacks in high school and a four-year (school) transfer.”

Rubley, the son of former NFL quarterback T.J. Rubley, appeared in six games during his time at Kansas State. He completed 5-of-6 passes for 47 yards for the Wildcats. He threw one interception.

Spack said that former ISU assistant Brian Anderson, now the running backs coach at Kansas State, helped to bring Rubley and wide receiver Xavier Lloyd to the Redbirds.

Keeping it in the family

ISU linebacker Tye Niekamp capped a stellar first season with several postseason honors, including All-America selections along with Missouri Valley Football Conference Freshman of the Year and Phil Steele’s Defensive Freshman of the Year.

Niekamp will now be joined by his younger brother, Dexter. Both players are the sons of ISU defensive coordinator Travis Niekamp, a former Redbird himself.

Dexter Niekamp, listed at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, was a standout for Normal Community High School, which had a deep playoff run this fall.

Spack said Niekamp will start in the Redbirds’ outside linebacker position known as the Jack, but “he’s probably going to grow into something else, whether that’s an end or tackle or even a three-technique someday.”

“Edgy” Tim O’Halloran has covered recruiting since the 1990s. He saw Niekamp live this year against Peoria.

“Definitely an impact guy,” O’Halloran said. “He can play with a hand on the ground but can also drop back in coverage. He runs really well. Big strong kid. Kind of plays like the brother.”

More Edgy thoughts

O’Halloran also shared other thoughts on the Redbird recruit with Prairie State Pigskin.

The publisher of EDGYTIM.com highlighted three Illinois prep signees from ISU’s class: receiver Luke Mailander (Elmhurst York), running back Matt Lawson (Hoffman Estates) and offensive lineman J.J. Guedet (Washington, Ill.), a transfer from FBS Minnesota.

“The most overlooked kid, and he’s the prototypical kid for ISU, is Mailander,” O’Halloran said. “He’s got great hands, great body control and catches everything. He runs really good, precise routes.”

O’Halloran said that ISU has a knack for developing freshman receivers who see the field in their rookie year.

“He could be that player for them,” he said.

Lawson benefited from a huge camp circuit, O’Halloran noted.

“He was at Elgin his first three years and was under the radar big time,” O’Halloran said, adding that Lawson ran some “4.4-4.5 range in the 40” times.

According to O’Halloran, ISU first saw Guedet at a one-day camp his sophomore year of high school.

“Coming out of high school, he was the deal,” O’Halloran said.

More to come?

“We still have a couple of (portal) guys that we’re still on that could come later in the month or in the winter season,” Spack said.

Biggest need filled on offense: ISU signed four wide receivers. 

Biggest need filled on defense: The Redbirds brought in four defensive backs.

Where they come from, by level: 18 high school, 5 from FBS (Big 12, Kansas State-2; MAC, Western Michigan-2; Big Ten, Minnesota-1) 

Where they come from, by state: Illinois, 11; Missouri, 3; Indiana, 2; Texas, 2; Wisconsin 2; Arizona, 1; Colorado, 1; Ohio, 1.

Player closest to campus: LB Dexter Niekamp, Normal Community High School (6 miles)

Player farthest from campus: QB Beckham Pellant, Chandler, Ariz. (1,624 miles) 

Tallest player: OL J.J. Guedat, 6-8

Shortest player: RB Matt Lawson, 5-10

Heaviest player: OL J.J. Guedat, 315 

Lightest player: DB Doreon Dubose, 165

ISU Early Signing Day List 

(Name, Position(s), Height, Weight, School, Hometown)

Mitch Bartol, TE, 6-3, 255, Western Michigan, Kimberly, Wisc.

Wyatt Boals, DL, 6-3, 285, Northridge High School, Middlebury, Ind.

Jack Bochenczak, DL, 6-5, 200, Providence Catholic HS, New Lenox, Ill.

Gavin Camp, WR, 5-11, 185, Normal Community West HS, Bloomington, Ill.

Ben Cooper, LB, 6-1, 205, Maine West HS, Des Plaines, Ill.

Aidan Crews, DB, 6-0, 190, Eureka HS, Wildwood, Mo.

Doreon Dubose, DB, 5-11, 165, Christian Brothers College HS, St. Louis

Josh Gettemy, LB, 6-2, 220, Yorkville HS, Yorkville, Ill.

J.J. Guedet, OL, 6-8, 315, University of Minnesota, Washington, Ill.

Ben Harman, DL, 6-6, 245, Stoughton HS, Stoughton, Wisc.

Mark Helm, OL 6-5, 260, Glenwood HS, Springfield, Ill.

Luke Johnsen, TE, 6-4, 240, Geneseo HS, Geneseo, Ill.

Quinten Johnson, WR, 6-2, 180, Trotwood Madison HS, Dayton, Ohio

Matt Lawson, RB, 5-10, 190, Hoffman Estates HS, Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Kaden Lehew, DB, 6-3, 190, Grace Prep Academy, Arlington, Tex.

Xavier Lloyd, WR, 6-2, 195, Kansas State University, Blue Springs, Mo.

Luke Mailander, WR, 5-11, 175, York Community HS, Elmhurst, Ill.

Dexter Niekamp, LB, 6-3, 225, Normal Community HS, Normal, Ill.

Jace Pankey, OL, 6-3, 265, Iroquois West HS, Onarga, Ill.

Beckham Pellant, QB, 6-0, 195, Hamilton HS, Chandler, Ariz.

C.J. Richard, Jr., DB, 6-1, 180, J. Frank Dobie HS, Houston

Jake Rubley, QB, 6-3, 220, Kansas State University, Highlands Ranch. Colo.

Brandon Smith, OL, 6-4, 290, Western Michigan University, Indianapolis

Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.

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