The 90 Illini #60: Tyson Rooks

The wait for an ATH is always a tricky one. If a kid doesn't play in the first few years, most assume he's just not going to find his way into the rotation. But then there's always a story about an ATH recruit like Dalevon Campbell.

Remember Dalevon Campbell? He was a late add to Lovie's 2019 class. A track athlete from Texas with very little football experience but the staff needed tall athletes (maybe a safety, maybe a wide receiver), and they had a few open scholarships, so after his spring track season, on May 31st, Dalevon Campbell was added to the 2019 class and then immediately enrolled.

Campbell played very little in 2019, 2020, and 2021. He was placed at wide receiver and had six catches in three seasons. His biggest game? Two catches for 43 yards late in the Virginia game (the blowout loss at Virginia in Bielema's third game in 2021). After three seasons – two under Lovie, one under Bielema – Campbell transferred to Nevada. But he did so with three years of eligibility because of his redshirt year + the Covid year.

And at Nevada, "gotta be patient with ATH recruits who are learning the game" paid off. In 2022, he was Nevada's second-leading receiver. In 2023, he was Nevada's leading receiver - 31 catches for 594 yards and two touchdowns. And, with his Covid year still available, he has now transferred to South Carolina to give SEC football a shot in 2024, his sixth and final year of college football.

Why bring this up? Because I just looked up The 90 Illini list from 2021 and I had Dalevon Campbell, a tall ATH still trying to learn receiver in his third season, at #61. And this year, at #60 I have... a tall athlete trying to learn receiver in his third season: