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OT out of New Jersey becomes 12th commit for Illinois via the class of 2022
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Bret Bielema and company picked up a win Friday evening, adding a three-star commit on the recruiting trail.
Over the night, Matt Fries, an offensive tackle out of Cranford, New Jersey, committed to the Illini. He becomes the 12th commit for the class of 2022 and is the sixth-highest-rated commit for the class.
I am committed to the University of Illinois!! Thank you @BretBielema, @Coach_BMiller, @UofIllinoisABuh, and the rest of the staff for the opportunity. I would also like to thank my family, coaches and community for their continued support! pic.twitter.com/hMz2Xto0dy
— Matt Fries (@mattfries58) July 3, 2021
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 275 lbs., Fries is rated by the 247 Sports Composite Rankings as a three-star offensive tackle and the No. 115 OT nationally for the cycle. He committed to Illinois over offers from around the country that included Indiana, Arizona, Arizona State, Syracuse, Wake Forest, and West Virginia.
The Fries family is no stranger to the B1G. He is the younger brother of former Penn State lineman Will Fries.
Big Ten big Matt! Proud of you, can’t wait to see your career unfold. Only thing to be done now is more work! https://t.co/tmcOvsJUba
— Will Fries (@willfries55) July 3, 2021
Fries’ commitment reinforces the focus of Beilema to improve the offensive line of the Illini via the recruiting trail. Fries is the fourth offensive line commit for the 2022 class, a group that includes three-star OL Joey Okla out of Wisconsin and three-star OT Hunter Whitenack out of Indiana.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.