The Trinity Catholic pipeline continues to pay off, as the Illini added four-star linebacker Shammond Cooper to the 2019 class today. Cooper announced his decision at the Under Armour All-American Game on Thursday.
A four-star linebacker from St. Louis, Cooper joins Isaiah Williams from Trinity Catholic to Champaign — all part of the plan when Illinois brought on former TCHS head coach Cory Patterson as its tight ends coach in early 2018.
According to 247, Cooper is the 10th-best inside linebacker and fourth-best prospect in Missouri in the 2019 class. As a result, his offer list was stout, with blue bloods like Auburn, Clemson, Texas and Oklahoma — Illinois’ biggest competition in the commitment.