Ked's Recruiting Roundup
November 25th, 2024

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois Fighting Illini are set to host several junior college football players this week, including Ismael Kante, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Kante, who played at Iowa Central and has two seasons of eligibility remaining, will officially visit the program on Tuesday.

With the transfer portal reshaping college football, the junior college route has become an often-overlooked pipeline. However, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema and his staff continue to explore JUCO talent to add depth on both sides of the ball.

Kante’s production speaks for itself. "I had 71 tackles, 4 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, 1 safety, 5 pass breakups, and a blocked PAT," Kante said.

While Kante’s offer list may not stand out on paper, his physicality and ability to disrupt plays have drawn interest from programs like Eastern Michigan, Utah State, Temple, Louisiana-Monroe, UMass, Northern Iowa, and Louisiana Tech.

Known for his relentless style of play, Kante embraces his nickname, “Killer Kante.” He described what teams can expect from him: "You can expect to see someone who is relentlessly getting to the ball, making tackles left and right, getting after the quarterback and causing havoc in the backfield. I’m a ballplayer who is afraid to let his teammates down, so I will do all I can to make sure that never happens. All in all, I’m someone willing to run through a brick wall for coaches and players I build a strong relationship with."

Kante has already familiarized himself with Illinois’ defensive scheme and sees potential in how he could fit into the system. "Yeah, I like how the outside linebackers are able to line up on the edge and be used as pass rushers. I’m a linebacker who can play all spots, so I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds in where I go," he said.

With his visit approaching, Kante is eager to finalize his decision and doesn’t anticipate a prolonged recruiting process. "There is a chance I will commit to a school soon, most likely before the second week of December," Kante said.

Illinois will hope to make a lasting impression on Kante as he evaluates his options and prepares to take the next step in his football career.

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