Illini Finding Success In Transfer Portal With Commitment Of Missouri WR Khmari Thompson

Illinois adds another transfer wide receiver, this time from a rival program, in the form of former Missouri speedster Khmari Thompson.

Author:
Matthew Stevens
Publish date:
Jul 20, 2020 1:14 PM EDT

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Khamri Thompson’s announcement that he’s headed to Illinois makes so much sense for the program for numerous reasons.

Illinois, which has become the Power Five Conference version of ‘Transfer Portal U’, is dipping into the transfer portal again as he’s the seventh transfer commitment to the Illini program this offseason. The 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds is the seventh transfer addition for Illinois this offseason. He joins wide receivers Brian Hightower (Miami-Fla.) and Desmond Dan (New Mexico State), offensive linemen Blake Jeresaty (Wofford) and Brevyn Jones (Mississippi State), safety TreSean Smith (Louisville) and defensive lineman Chinedu Udeogu (California). These seven players does not include former Wisconsin defensive end/linebacker Christian Bell decided to rescind his verbal pledge to transfer to Illinois and will play his final year of college football near his hometown with South Alabama. Because of Bell’s decommitment and the announcement of redshirt-freshman defensive back Joseph Thompson entering the transfer portal, Illinois had a scholarship available.

It is assumed Thompson will have to sit out the upcoming 2020 season but his presence will be needed greatly after Josh Imatorbhebhe, Trevon Sidney and Ricky Smalling leave via graduation after the 2020 campaign.

Thompson will be seen as the speed option from the slot position in Rod Smith’s offense but at 6-foot-2 is a much bigger target than Kyron Cumby at that spot.

The Illinois coaching staff sees Thompson, who will have three years of eligibility remaining when he arrives this summer, as still a raw prospect as he did not play high school football as a sophomore or junior to focus on track and field, but saw his recruitment garner serious attention when he accounted for 1,000 receiving yards with 12 touchdowns as a senior at Central Gwinnett High School in Lawrenceville, Ga. After that successful senior season, Thompson picked Missouri over Kansas State, Purdue, Illinois and Old Dominion.

"New journey. New family. New number. New opportunities," Thompson tweeted Monday morning when announcing his commitment to Illinois. "I’m ready for it all, can't wait to wear that orange and blue."

Thompson has shown his speed in his first track season for the Missouri program before entering the transfer portal earlier this month after running track and playing football for Missouri. In the 2018-19 track season for Missouri, Thompson posted times of 7.14 seconds in the 60-meter dash, 10.88 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 22.82 seconds in the 200-meter dash.