Illinois' Top 6 NFL Prospects Not Named Whitney Mercilus

The NFL caliber talent coming out of the University of Illinois this season is a far cry from those players coming out of the pro football pipelines of Alabama and LSU, but here, we have compiled a list of the top graduating seniors that have the potential to find a team and contribute in the league next year.

Note: I chose not to include draft-eligible juniors from the list. Although there are no sure-fire prospects outside of All-American and Hendricks Award winner Whitney Mercilus, a few juniors could jump ship and go pro prematurely with the recent coaching change Illinois is experiencing. 

Trulon Henry is probably a name that those of you outside of Illini Nation have never heard before. But those familiar with the convict turned junior college stud turned division I-A linebacker know that he has what it takes to succeed in the NFL. 

The half brother of current Tampa Bay wide receiver, Arrelious Benn, Henry also has the pedigree to succeed in the professional ranks. 

Although his stats do not jump out and grab you—39 tackles, no sacks, two interceptions (one touchdown), the hustle, sure tackling, and non-stop motor that shows up on the game tape will impress. 

Unfortunately, Henry was injured in an off-campus shooting at a party while trying to convince underclassmen teammates to leave. That injury forced him to miss the last two games of the season and will prevent him from playing in the Illini’s bowl game.

If Henry can get an invite to some team's training camp. He has a good shot to win over the coaching staff with his unrivaled intangibles and worth ethic and make a roster for opening day.

Draft Prediction: undrafted free agent

Thomas is another prospect that might be even more ambiguous outside of Champaign than Trulon Henry is.

As a NFL prospect, it is difficult to identify exactly where the three-year starter for the Illini would fit on a roster. 

He lacks the elite speed needed to cover both sides of the field as a middle linebacker and doesn’t have the quickness to rush the quarterback as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. 

What Thomas does have is incredible vision and awareness. 

That, coupled with a the ability to quickly diagnose a play and then execute a sure tackle consitantly  should allow the 6-1, 235 pounder from Berwyn Heights, Maryland, to find a spot on a special teams unit somewhere in the NFL and eventually compete to contribute full-time on defense. 

Draft Prediction: fifth or sixth round 

Ford is the perfect template for a player that was never able to grab the spotlight after multiple opportunities to shine. 

But fortunately for Ford, the NFL is a two-running back league, and the 6-1, 235-pound bruiser would be solid goal-line back on a team needing to improve their red zone toughness.   

Ford often struggled at Illinois when he sought to take the role of a shifty, quick back.

If he can learn to embrace his abilities, hold on to the ball in clutch time, and realize that he is simply a ground and pound, goal line back, Ford could find a niche and succeed in the NFL 

Don't be surprised if you see him lead blocking as a fullback in the near future either. He obviously has the ability to run the ball, but he can also throw effective blocks, and catch out of the backfield. So if a coach was willing to give him a chance, Ford could manage to be a formidable weapon.

As a side note, university sources recently revealed that Ford is academically ineligible and will not be able to travel to their bowl game on New Year's Eve. That lack of a final audition is sure to negatively affect his draft stock. 

Draft Prediction: sixth or seventh round

Illinois’ senior kicker is perhaps the school’s best specialist prospect in the last decade. 

With a career field goal percentage of 86 percent (37-of-43), and a perfect 87-of-87 on extra points, Dimke deserves more recognition then he has gotten this year as a top tier kicker. 

Because of Illinois’ late season meltdown, Dimke did not have many opportunities to showcase his abilities down the stretch.

If an NFL team is willing to give him a shot in training camp, Dimke will be sure to impress a team with his accuracy, leg strength, and high energy and earn a roster spot.

The NFL is a business-driven league and money talks. Dimke would come to a team with a league minimum price tag and could allow a team to save some invaluable resources by letting a pricey veteran kicker go. 

Draft prediction: fifth round—undrafted free agent 

If you are a college football fan who was paying attention the first half of the season, A.J. Jenkins should be on your radar.  

The 6-1 senior from Jacksonville, Florida exploded onto the national college football scene with 815 receiving yards and seven touchdowns over Illinois' six game win streak to start the season and looked like a sure thing to be drafted in the first few rounds of this year's draft.

He was averaging 135.8 yards per game, good enough for tops in the nation in total receiving yards and touchdowns in that historic stretch for Illinois.

Then the dark times.

For those of you that don't know, Illinois finished the second half of the season 0-6, and an anemic offense was largely to blame.

Fortunately for Jenkins, the blame for that meltdown does not lie on his shoulders, but on the offense's inability to get him the ball and offensive coordinator, Paul Petrino's, pathetic excuse for play-calling.

Some will argue that Jenkins is simply a product of the system. But if you watch the game film, you see explosive breaks, impressive speed, and crisp route running coupled with sticky, sure hands. That combination should ensure that Jenkins gets serious looks this spring with a potential invite to the NFL combine in Indianapolis.

Draft Prediction: third or fourth round  

And finally, our countdown brings us to 6-5, 315-pound senior tackle from Chicago, Jeff Allen.

A four-year starter on the Illinois offensive line, fans have seen Allen mature before their eyes into an NFL caliber left tackle. 

Any trained eye who watched him perform can see that he possesses the size, footwork, and tenacity to excel in the professional ranks.

He has the perfect combination of "playing mean" while also staying fundamentally sound. This allowed him him outperform and dominate former first round draft picks like current Redskins defensive end and ex-purdue player Ryan Kerrigan 

His technique may be a little raw, but given the right coach, Allen has the potential and drive to flower into an elite tackle in the league. 

Don't be surprised if you see him protecting the blindside of a franchise quarterback for the next 10 years.

Draft Prediction: second to fourth round