NORMAL — A four-star recruit out of St. John Vianney High School in St. Louis as a senior, tailback Markel Smith began classes at Illinois State on Monday and will join the Redbird football team.
Smith originally signed a national letter of intent with Iowa but did not qualify academically. The 5-foot-11, 230-pounder played at Division II power Central Missouri in 2015 and rushed for 913 yards and seven touchdowns.
