Maleek Williams narrows list 5 schools, names Illinois his leader|Illinois Hot Topics|Team BattleGround|College BattleGround

Fighting Illini football is the leader for a Florida running back. On Tuesday night, three-star prospect Maleek Williams (Punta Gorda, FL) named — in order — Illinois, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Florida as his top schools. The 6-foot, 200-pound back is the No. 79 player at the position in 247Sports’ class-of-2017 composite rankings.

My top 5 . Currently pic.twitter.com/ii20cYn9cq

— Maleek Williams (@MaleekW_23) June 7, 2016

(FREE) Why do #Illini top 3-star RB Maleek Williams’s list? @MaleekW_23 gave me a simple answer: https://t.co/4eCfe5d9he

— Jeremy Werner (@JWernerScout) June 8, 2016

Scouting Report (via Scout.com)

Checking in at an imposing 5-foot-11.5, 205 pounds, Williams is a crafty runner that possesses impressive vision and lateral quickness heading into his senior year. You also have to take notice of Williams’ burst and acceleration once reaching the second level. He plays with more finesse than power at this stage of his young career, but does a good job of maintaining balance and bouncing off tackles as well. He has that intriguing combination of size and athletic ability.

Highlights

As I mentioned yesterday, it’s time for Illinois to start working on a replacement for sophomore back KeShawn Vaughn. It’s not a sure thing that he’ll be sticking around for four seasons, and there may only be one other completely healthy, experienced option on the roster (Reggie Corbin Jr.) to replace him in the event of an early departure.

Luckily, the coaching staff appears to have a few options in addition to Williams. Three-star Maryland native Tayon Fleet Davis recently picked up a scholarship offer, and the program also appears to be heavily involved with three-star back Chase Hayden. Hopefully Lovie Smith can find a way to reel in one of these talented tailbacks.