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CHAMPAIGN – Lest my words be misconstrued, let's begin with a cautiously optimistic opinion that redshirt Nathan Scheelhaase is the real deal.

Not a striking passer with a Jeff George arm, mind you, but swift and smart and possessing the qualities to be a decent rollout quarterback.

That makes him the exception to the rule. If you don't think so, here's a history lesson.

In the decade directly after the late 1990s, when big Walter Young and highly touted Christian Morton arrived to soon discover other positions fit their talents, Illini coaches have granted full scholarships to 15 freshman quarterbacks while also adding transfer Jon Beutjer from Iowa.

Quarterbacks arriving from high school were, in order, Mark Kornfeld, Matt Dlugolecki, Chris Pazan, Tim Brasic, Brad Bower, Billy Garza, Kisan Flakes, Paul Blalock, Juice Williams, Eddie McGee, Phil Haig, Jacob Charest, Scheelhaase and newcomers Chandler Whitmer and Miles Osei.

Of the 12 prior to Scheelhaase, eight quit before completing eligibility and two changed positions. You might call that a success rate of 16.7 percent. The only two completing their full eligibility at QB were Brasic and his replacement, Williams.

So you'll excuse me if the ballyhoo associated with all prep quarterbacks, and most recruits in all sports, goes in one ear and out the other. Yes, truth is, I have doubts about all freshmen. How many touted receivers don't like going over the middle? How many strikeout pitchers can't find the plate? And the records are full of 80 percent free throw shooters who lose touch from 15 feet.

When young Chicago giants Lendell Buckner and Leon Hill were gone within months, was anyone surprised? Haig went from dropping football to being dropped in baseball. And it goes beyond freshmen. Always suspicious yet sometimes gullible, didn't we miss badly on projections for Jamar Smith and Alex Legion in the summer of 2008?

Is it the adjustment to school? Is the speed and physicality of the next step too demanding? How do they spend their evenings? Can they handle the pressure? Will injuries interfere?

A good catch

The message so far is a warmup to where this story is headed.

It wasn't apparent (one reception) in Saturday's Memorial Stadium scrimmage, but No. 89 has been catching a lot of passes in Illini workouts. A tight end position that appeared destitute when Michael Hoomanawanui graduated and Hubie Graham transferred was suddenly highlighted in Rantoul. Who is No. 89? Where did he come from? Is this a mirage that will evaporate in St. Louis? Or is this Simeon Rice reincarnated on offense?

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Like Rice, Evan Wilson was one of the last UI recruits in his class. Like Rice, he seems a bit thin for his position. And like Rice, he rocked the coaches on the very first day.)

When asked, coach Ron Zook, sensitive to criticisms of his recruiting, was at his cynical best: "He's just one of the guys that nobody liked in our recruiting class."

You're right, Coach. But don't include Greg Nord, who made a brief stopoff as Illini recruiting coordinator between leaving Louisville and landing back at Kentucky. Nord also coached tight ends and, through his Georgia ties, somehow became convinced that Wilson, a three-star, two-way end, could help the Illini. Wilson had given an oral commitment to Middle Tennessee State, but Nord talked him into an Illini visit. Next thing you know, he joined Craig, Martez and Tavon as the fourth Wilson on the squad ... which turned out to be a nice gift for Chip Long, who left Arkansas on short notice to replace Nord here.

Prominent position

"Nord originally wanted Wilson at Louisville," Long said, "and they kept in touch when Nord came to Illinois. In the highlights of his high school games (Woodstock, Ga.), he wasn't used much as a receiver. They ran something like a winged-T, I think."

But Nord told associates that Wilson would be a prominent receiver in Paul Petrino's offense.

"With Petrino, the quarterback's best friend is the tight end," Long said. "He gets a lot of passes off the play action."

Arkansas tight end D.J. Williams accumulated 90 receptions the last two years under Petrino and Long. Reports from this summer's 7-on-7 drills provided early indications that Nord might be right about Wilson.

"Wilson made a big impression in our first practice," Long said. "One of our tight ends had to step back, and Wilson took the extra reps. The hotter it got, the faster he went. He really showed us something."

Yes, Coach, but at 6-foot-6 and 240 (excuse me, he looks more like 225), can he block those Missouri huskies?

"Yes, he can strike," Long said. "He puts his face right in there. He's lean, but he's tough. And he keeps getting better. He and Zach Becker will be on the field a lot. We can use them together."

Scheelhaase, who has been throwing to Wilson all summer, chipped in: "It's a tough position to learn between run game, pass receiving and motion, but he's been making a ton of catches in camp."

Are you sold? Does it seem plausible that a lanky Georgian who caught only 12 or 13 passes as a senior could suddenly become a primary Illini target as a freshman? Haven't Illini quarterbacks been overlooking their tight ends for years? Are we dreaming?

Stay tuned. We'll soon see whether this is "A Star is Born" or "(My) Magnificent Obsession."

Loren Tate writes for The News-Gazette. He can be reached at ltate@news-gazette.com.