Illinois Football Recruiting Thread

#326      
Johnson is an NFL type of player. James is kind of underrated as he could be a really good LB with added strength. Paulsen and Rice were good evals who are still getting better.

I like where they are as far as who they have in the fold. Illinois has shown the ability to flip some targets including a few of the last commits. I see no reason after a pretty good year (And even more support) that it won't continue.

The line is at something like 7.5 and I feel they're underrated this year. With how I project a big jump from the OL and even more offensive production, they'll be both a pretty good and exciting team both on offense and defense with true impact/NFL guys on both sides.

It should be a fun year on and off the field IMO. They have another pretty good foundation already laid and the summer isn't over.
You never know with recruiting. I remember the 90 or 91 class that was small too. Guys like Simeon Rice and Kevin Hardy were in that class. Even though that was a small class it produced future NFL players and top ten draft picks. Maybe this class will too.
 
#329      
Konkey is a fun WR add because he's a risk/reward add and the WR unit is one of the more stocked units on the team. If he hits, it would give Illinois a chance to have a special WR core, even in the B1G. If he doesn't, there is not as much risk because there are other, promising WR options on the roster.
 
#331      
Konkey is a fun WR add because he's a risk/reward add and the WR unit is one of the more stocked units on the team. If he hits, it would give Illinois a chance to have a special WR core, even in the B1G. If he doesn't, there is not as much risk because there are other, promising WR options on the roster.
it’s going to be fun to watch a team with a guy running fly routes like Willie Gault did with the Bears in the mid 1980’s

it adds another dimension to your play calling even if he’s a decoy 2/3 of the time
 
#332      
We’ve got a shot … Battling …
It is going to be war for Knowles
Screenshot 2026-06-17 173844.png


Arky has Walton-Tyson money. Colorado has the (fading) Deion brand. TCU has outsized NIL cash plus donor willing to use it.
 
#337      
Happy to get the skill players.

We still need big bodies for the trenches.
 
#339      
Insiders - any idea on how many more 2027 kids we're going to add to this class? Any predictions on either the next guy to commit or best prospect we still have a legit chance at landing?
 
#340      
it’s going to be fun to watch a team with a guy running fly routes like Willie Gault did with the Bears in the mid 1980’s

it adds another dimension to your play calling even if he’s a decoy 2/3 of the time
I just hope he doesn't immediately fall down after catching the ball like Gault did. :)
 
#341      
I just hope he doesn't immediately fall down after catching the ball like Gault did. :)
yea
Willie Gault was the case of a track star playing football to earn a living that he wouldn’t make running track . I think Willie also fancied himself as a “face” guy who wanted to be a model in the off-season.

He could run like the wind on a football field tho.
He was a Bob Hayes wannabe
 
#342      
Bret's been pretty open in media availability so far that they will take 12-18 players. I think you'll see 2-3 more commit this summer, and then with usual things that occur with the season and with what Bret likes to add right at the signing deadline, or even taking juco/ivy league/d2 commits in the spring months of 2027, you'll see 3-4 more in that general frame as well over a several month span of time.

One thing to note, all of the current guys on the roster on defense were not recruited by the Hauck staff (outside of 1-2 late adds), you could see some significant roster removal and portal addition guys coming in next winter.
Insiders - any idea on how many more 2027 kids we're going to add to this class? Any predictions on either the next guy to commit or best prospect we still have a legit chance at landing?
 
#343      
yea
Willie Gault was the case of a track star playing football to earn a living that he wouldn’t make running track . I think Willie also fancied himself as a “face” guy who wanted to be a model in the off-season.

He could run like the wind on a football field tho.
He was a Bob Hayes wannabe
Renaldo Nehemiah has entered the chat.
 
#344      
yea
Willie Gault was the case of a track star playing football to earn a living that he wouldn’t make running track . I think Willie also fancied himself as a “face” guy who wanted to be a model in the off-season.

He could run like the wind on a football field tho.
He was a Bob Hayes wannabe
Runs like Hayes, hits like Mays
 
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