Recruiting: Jonathan Brown high on Illini

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Big Ten football is rarely spoken of in the South.

The SEC variety of gridiron play dominates conversation with the Big 12 and ACC receiving some adoration.

Not surprisingly, Memphis (Tenn.) Christian Brothers linebacker Jonathan Brown and his father Rod, head coach at Memphis Ridgeway, knew little about the Illinois football program.

But after a summer unofficial visit, the Brown family was blown away.

"Not being familiar (with the Illinois program), you think you only get that kind of showing down South," Rod said. "But we got that Down South feel from a Midwest type of squad. That was very inviting.

"They have a top-notch facility. They play right there on campus. They have a state-of-the-art weight room. The school itself was a great school, a college environment. We got a really good show from the coaches: (Wide receivers) Coach (Jim) Pry, (Head) Coach (Ron) Zook, the position coaches."

Jonathan, a 6-foot-1, 225-pound linebacker, has offers from several Division I programs, including Illinois, Kentucky, LSU, Memphis, Ole Miss and Texas Tech.

"Illinois is very high on his list, and he's very high on their list," Rod said. "Texas Tech, they're high on him. They want him really bad."

Linebacker Justin Maclin, who plays for Rod at Ridgeway and is friends with Jonathan, committed to LSU this summer. The Tigers would figure to be a player for Jonathan, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

"(LSU) like him as a fullback/runningback, more so fullback," Rod said. "That's not something we want to go to college as. That's why they're probably way down on his list."

Rod knows why so many schools are recruiting his son. He had to gameplan for Jonathan last season.

A standout linebacker and fullback in high school, Jonathan led Christian Brothers to a 31-7 win over dad's team in a crosstown rivalry game against Ridgeway in Week 1. Jonathan ran for a touchdown.

"Defensively, the thing about him is he has a real, real good nose for the ball," Rod said. "In cases when they don't even have defensive stunts called, he does a very good job of shooting gaps and reading and reacting very well. Those are things right that you just can't account for (as an opposing coach)."

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