Dan
Admin
Welcome to the Illinois Football Recruiting Thread 
2027 Illini Football Commits
1) DB Justin Johnson (March 4th, 2026)
2027 Illini Football Commits
1) DB Justin Johnson (March 4th, 2026)
Illinois Football Recruiting Thread
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
3
️ 2027 TE | 6’5” 220lbs | Ankeny Centennial HS | 40- 4.63, pro ag- 4.29, 
10” Ankeny, Iowa
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
Any other context or just a straight throat punch and that’s all…?
Things looked a lot different after Gies donation. Was the budget misspent?
Did not anticipate the speed at which the market would explode and pass them by.
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
Things looked a lot different after Gies donation. Was the budget misspent?
I thought Gies' donation was predominantly earmarked for infrastructure (e.g. stadium), not NIL
Michigan is giving Lopati 3.5 million. We aren’t close to being able to compete with that.
This is like Valparaiso competing against us in basketball NIL.
I don’t think it’s that extreme. But we can’t be paying a prep recruit that much to come and sit for a couple years. But unless something changes the gap will continue to get bigger
SampsonRelpenk
- Edwardsville, IL
If the top programs are able pay that much to unproven prep recruits to sit on the bench it kinda feels like we’re regressing toward the pre-scholarship limit days when they’d horde as many prospects as possible just to keep them away from teams lower down the food chain.
Obviously they aren’t paying everyone that kind of money to sit. Qb is the most important position and they are fine paying him that make to wait a couple years. The top college football rosters were are over 40-50 million. We are about half of that. Hopefully they put a salary cap in. Another issue is other schools make nil offers that they’ll never end up paying. Miami is known for it.
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
6’4 305|Class ‘27 (PG)|DL | Whitney Young HS
Chicago
Don't know if true, but would explain a lot. Likely overspent to get the fantastic '26 prep class, and since then it's been dire
That's unfortunate. Bret deserves better.
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
class of 2027 || Olb/TE/DE #8 || 6,6 235 ||Georgetown Prep (MD)|| 4.7 40yd.
Washington, DC