Michael Heitz
Offensive tackle
South Fulton
6-6, 265

Our take: Many will question whether someone who played in Class 1A in high school can play in the Big Ten, but Heitz definitely passes the eye test. He's 6-foot-6, 265 pounds right now, so he'll need to hit the weight room and the cafeteria hard in his first year at Illinois, when he'll likely redshirt. But those around Heitz rave about his work ethic and think he will be a multiyear starter at left tackle for Illinois.

Why Illinois? "It was the best fit for me. They have everything I wanted academically and footballwise."

Favorite moment in football: "Making it to Class 1A quarterfinals this year."

Favorite football player, college or pro: "Brett Favre."

What school do you want to see the Big Ten add? "Texas. I watched them a lot growing up and really liked them. But now it's all about Illinois."

College football playoff or BCS? "Playoffs. Boise State and all of them never get a representative."

Are you playing in the Missouri game? "I've been told I will have to redshirt due to my lack of size. But who knows? I still could. They told me my job next year is to eat and lift."

What do you need to improve most before the start of the season? "Overall, I just have to improve everything pretty much. I just have to keep working and keep getting better every day."