Jeremiah Tilmon requests release from Illinois

Mar 4, 2017; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Malcolm Hill (21) runs into Rutgers Scarlet Knights forward Deshawn Freeman (33) during first half at Louis Brown Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Malcolm Hill (21) runs into Rutgers Scarlet Knights forward Deshawn Freeman (33) during first half at Louis Brown Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports /
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In a new twist of events, Illinois’ big man Jeremiah Tilmon requested a release from his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday. If granted, this means more great news for Missouri.

Just when we thought the book was closed on Jeremiah Tilmon, it seems to have cracked open, again. Coach Cuonzo Martin will sell the young recruit for all he’s worth, to try to get him to join the Tigers.

The benefit here, is that as long as Illinois grants Tilmon his request of release from his NLI, it is more likely than not, that he will commit to Mizzou.

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According to 247sports.com, if Illinois grants Tilmon’s release, he could arrive in Columbia as early as this weekend, which also coincides with prospective recruit Kevin Knox’s timeline to visit Mizzou.

Should Tilmon decide that Missouri’s program is the right fit for him (and his family), it will give the Tigers a big man in the middle, which they have lacked for a while, now.

It is truly amazing; we were on our way toward football season, and just when we thought the last bit of big news arriving on campus would be Knox, more life has been breathed into the 2017 recruiting efforts of Missouri.

Without a doubt, the departures of KJ Walton and Frankie Hughes opened up two more scholarship spots for the Tigers, which leaves at least one more for another potential recruit to fill. I’ll be interested to see if anyone else decides to request a release from intent.