Andre Lovett is a generational expertise for Eisenhower — actually.
The defensive again, who’s the consensus No. 18 junior in Illinois based on 247Sports, dedicated to Illinois this month.
Lovett is Illini coach Bret Bielema’s second in-state commit on this cycle, becoming a member of fellow three-star Michael McDonough, an offensive lineman from Andrew.
In accordance to Eisenhower coach Sheamus Murphy, Lovett is the Cardinals’ first Energy 5 recruit since Torri Stuckey picked Northwestern in 2000 and this system’s first Illini recruit since Steve Stefanski in 1990.
Lovett had loads of Energy 5 affords to select from, together with Arizona State, Iowa, Kansas State, Louisville, Missouri, Purdue, Syracuse, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
What made Illinois the proper match?
“The love they have been displaying me, the consistency they have been displaying in recruiting me,” Lovett stated.
The 6-1, 175-pounder wasn’t planning to finish the recruiting course of this quickly.
“I used to be truly hoping to commit on the finish of the summer season,” he stated.
However within the portal period, he knew Energy 5 affords are tougher to return by for prep prospects and he did not wish to miss out on a chance like this.
Now it is time to shift his consideration away from recruiting.
“I beloved having coaches coming in [but] now I can give attention to my senior season,” Lovett stated. “I’ve targets set for this senior season: get my fourth star, make All-State and All-American.”
Nationwide recruiting analyst Clint Cosgrove expects Lovett to thrive in Champaign.
“First, he is an exceptional child,” Cosgrove stated. “He’ll be an envoy for this system. Sensible child, one of the crucial bodily gifted children in his class from Illinois.”
That reveals in what number of hats Lovett wore final season for the Cardinals and why 247Sports classifies him as an athlete. He performed all three ranges on protection in 2023 and noticed motion in all places on offense — together with Wildcat quarterback and tight finish — besides the road.
However Lovett’s future is within the defensive backfield.
“He is so lengthy and he is a prepared hitter,” Cosgrove stated. “A whole lot of skinny children do not do this. His highest upside goes to return at security. The talent set is there, the peak is there.”
And there is extra, based on Murphy, who famous Lovett’s 3.0 grade-point common and the truth that “he checks all of the packing containers from a personality standpoint.”
The eye Lovett has drawn has had a optimistic spillover impact at Eisenhower.
Two seniors from final 12 months’s staff, offensive lineman Kwan Johnson (Japanese Illinois) and quarterback Nick Mayfield (South Dakota), additionally have been Division I recruits.
Having extra recruiters accustomed to the Cardinals’ high gamers can solely assist in the long term.
“The site visitors’s that come by the door — Eisenhower hasn’t had that in a very long time,” Murphy stated.
Identical to the Cardinals have not had a expertise like Lovett in a very long time.
