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Could Penn State Be In Line To Land Illinois Grad Transfer T.J. Neal?

By Dylan Callaghan-Croley

Nov 7, 2015; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Purdue Boilermakers quarterback David Blough (11) is sacked by Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker T.J. Neal (52) at Ross Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2015; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Purdue Boilermakers quarterback David Blough (11) is sacked by Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker T.J. Neal (52) at Ross Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Illinois leding tackler T.J. Neal could possibly be headed to Penn State as a grad transfer this season. 

The Illinois Fightin Illini will be losing their top tackler in linebacker T.J. Neal in the upcoming days as the now-graduated linebacker has announced that he will be transferring from the school.

Neal, a product of McKeesport, PA is looking to transfer to a school closer to home. For Neal, Penn State might a place that makes perfect sense for the western Pennsylvania native. Coming out of high school in the 2012 recruiting class, Neal was not recruited by the Nittany Lions under then head coaches Joe Paterno or Bill O’Brien. Neal was recruited by Pittsburgh, but his recruitment ultimately came down to out-of-state schools, especially that of Illinois and Nebraska, two schools that he visited during his recruitment.

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While Penn State had solid depth at linebacker in 2012 and 2013, some of that depth has been diminished over the past few years. Recently, Penn State just lost budding star linebacker Troy Reeder when the Delaware native transferred back home to the University of Delaware to play with his brother for the Blue Hens. Backup linebacker Gary Wooten Jr. also transferred this offseason. It’s a linebacking core that will be extremely young next season, outside of two starters from last year in Brandon Bell and Jason Cabinda. Nyeem Wartman-White, who is a projected starter this year, was a starter last season before going out for the season in the first game of the year.

With only six linebackers on scholarship, adding Neal would be a tremendous addition to the Nittany Lions who are coming off being one of the youngest teams in college football for a second straight season.

In the 2015 season, Neal finished the season with 109 tackles including 15 tackles for a loss that included two sacks.

Neal transferring to Penn State makes sense in two ways. The first way is a very simple one. Penn State is close to his hometown of McKeesport, being just two and half hours from State College. The second is more of a football reason, and that is the hiring of former Illinois defensive coordinator Tim Banks, who is now the safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator in Happy Valley.

Neal and Penn State makes sense from both sides. Penn State offers Neal a few things; one of course being the main one is to play at the premier college football program in the state of Pennsylvania. Penn State can offer Neal the chance to work with one of the best linebacker coaches in the nation in Brent Pry.  Penn State also gives Neal a chance to play on national television almost every week and gives him a platform to be scouted at a higher level than he would be at another in-state school.

While Penn State could offer Neal quite the amount, Neal could offer Penn State just the same. He is a linebacker who really came into his own during the 2015 season and could have an even better year in 2016. While Penn State’s linebackers were great at times last season, the loss of Troy Reeder leaves a huge gap for Penn State in the linebacking corps of premier playmakers. Neal has the ability and skill set that could fit him into the role of a playmaker across the middle next season. The addition of Neal would also give Penn State depth, as adding another linebacker would be great for the Nittany Lions and would give them eight scholarship linebackers with the anticipated addition of 2016 recruit Cameron Brown, if his commitment sticks up to National Signing Day.

It would be extremely surprising if Penn State doesn’t have interest or doesn’t try to land Neal, but of course, the Nittany Lions should have a good amount of competition for Neal. Schools such as Pittsburgh and Ohio State are also not too far from his hometown and could obviously be in the mix.

Jeremy Werner, publisher of IlliniInquirer.com says that he spoke to Illinois head coach Bill Cubit, and that Neal is blocked from transferring to any opponent that Illinois plays in 2016. That list includes the likes of Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin.

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