
Illini Complete Speed Dating Recruitment of JUCO DB Donovan Turner
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
May 22, 2025
(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The idea of ‘speed dating’ has been used by several power conference coaching staffs to describe the current process of transfer portal recruiting and the term might not be more applicable than to Donovan Turner’s verbal pledge.
Turner, a 6-foot-1 and 192-pound defensive back, gave his verbal pledge to commit to Illinois on Wednesday evening after crossing the country with his high school and early college football journey. Turner was most recently a 2024 first-team selection in the Southern California Football Association National Division All-Central League while playing at the junior college level at Long Beach (Calif.) City College. Turner had 30 total tackles, four pass breakups and two interceptions in nine games last season after transferring back near his hometown after playing the 2022 and 2023 seasons at the University of Massachusetts.