Illinois Gets Commitment From Three-Star Cornerback Trezavant Boyd: What It Means

Illinois Gets Commitment From Three-Star Cornerback Trezavant Boyd: What It Means

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Illinois Gets Commitment From Three-Star Cornerback Trezavant Boyd: What It Means
Bret Bielema landed his 16th player for the 2027 recruiting class after 3-star CB Trezavant Boyd committed to Illinois.
Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema during the second quarter of a Big Ten football game against Penn State, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in State College, Pa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

June was far and away Illinois football's busiest month on the recruiting front in search of its 2027 class. And although July has been slow by comparison, Bret Bielema did pick up his second recruit this month on Wednesday when three-star cornerback Trezavant Boyd (Miami Central) signed with the Illini.

Who is Trezavant Boyd?

Boyd is a 5-foot-10, 160-pound defensive back who is ranked as the 72nd best cornerback in the nation and No. 61 player the state of Florida, per 247Sports. As a junior last fall, Boyd helped lead the Rockets to the Class 3A Regional Finals in Florida and has been tearing up camp and after-camp since last season ended.

Trezavant Boyd's scouting report

Boyd's height comes up a little short of the ideal for a Big Ten cornerback, but he has exceptional quickness and solid instincts. He has done a little bit of everything at Miami Central on defense – press coverage, off-ball coverage, zone defense, man defense, etc. – but he is at his best working against small receivers who he can get his hands on and be physical with.

Boyd also hits hard for a cornerback and has shown on tape that he isn't afraid to fight off bigger receivers to make tackles on the outside.

But what separates Boyd is his ability to score every time he touches the ball, whether that be via an interception, a punt return or when he picks up a fumble. He has excellent vision and rarely gets tackled on initial contact.

How Trezavant Boyd fits at Illinois

Boyd has a lot of versatility, but he seems to project best as a slot corner in the Illini's new 3-3-5 base defense. It might take him two or three years to earn consistent reps on defense, but I wouldn't be surprised if he consistently finds his way onto the field for special teams early in his career.

Boyd is more than capable of playing outside corner, but with his limited height and wingspan, it probably makes most sense for him to play inside.

There's a possibility Boyd will redshirt his freshman season, but his instincts are too valuable not to utilize sooner rather than later. Either way, he has a lot going for him and is a solid pickup for Illinois, especially when you consider the number of other top schools (Florida State, Georgia, Auburn, Miami, Ole Miss, Missouri and Texas A&M) that offered him a scholarship.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/illinois as Illinois Gets Commitment From Three-Star Cornerback Trezavant Boyd: What It Means.

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