CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illinois football staff led by head coach Bret Bielema signed one of the top-rated classes in program history Wednesday. The Illini's class is ranked #21 in the nation by 247Sports, eclipsing the previous high of #22 in 2008 and 2007.
Illinois signed 30 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent, including nine that received at least one four-star rating by a national recruiting service, the most in program history. The Illini's four-star signees include OLB Kayden Bennett (ESPN), DL Parker Crim (Rivals), DB Jacob Eberhart (Rivals), DB Nick Hankins Jr. (247/ESPN/Rivals), DB Jakwon Morris (ESPN), OL Kai Pritchard (247/ESPN), WR Nas Rankin (247/ESPN), OL Champ Smith (ESPN), and LB Cameron Thomas (ESPN).
Bielema continued Illinois' rise in recruiting by signing his fifth-straight top-50 recruiting class. Prior to Bielema's arrival in 2021, Illinois had signed only three top-50 classes in the previous 10 years combined. Bielema has now signed four of the five highest-ranked Illini recruiting classes of the past 15 years, according to 247Sports.
Bielema also continued his strong commitment to recruiting the state of Illinois by signing eight players from the state, including two of the top six and all eight within the top 40 according to 247Sports.
The Fighting Illini class features four junior college signees rated nationally among the top four at their positions, including two players ranked No. 1. Maika Matelau is the No. 1 interior offensive lineman (247) and Jakwon Morris is the nation's top-rated defensive back (247/ESPN). TJ Taylor is the No. 2-ranked offensive tackle (247/ESPN), and Alfred Washington is the No. 4 offensive tackle (247).
Illinois' signees had an average 247Sports rating of 87.99, the highest average rating in program history. The Illini's last three classes are rated as the three most talented classes in program history, according to 247Sports' ratings that date back to 2001.
Illinois anticipates 25 signees to enroll at the University of Illinois in January: OLB Jacob Alexander, WR Kenyon Alston, QB Michael Clayton II, LB Kaedyn Cobbs, DL Parker Crim, DB Jacob Eberhart, WR Davon Grant, P Jack Gray, DB Nick Hankins Jr., DL King Liggins, OL Maika Matelau, DB Jakwon Morris, OL Kai Pritchard, WR Nas Rankin, OLB Kingston Reigns Shaw, OL Champ Smith, OL TJ Taylor, LB Cameron Thomas, DB Almirian Thomas, TE Will Vala, OL Landen Von Seggern, OL Alfred Washington, RB Nelsyn Wheeler, DB Isaiah Williams, LB Tony Williams..
Learn more about all 30 signees by clicking the players' names below or visiting FightingIllini.com/FamILLy26.
The signing class roster is also available here.
| 2026 Signing Class |
| Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Class |
Hometown |
High School |
| Jacob Alexander |
OLB |
6-4 |
240 |
Fr. |
Frankfort, Ill. |
Lincoln Way East |
| Kenyon Alston |
WR |
6-2 |
195 |
Fr. |
Orlando, Fla. |
Bishop Moore Catholic |
| Tony Balanganayi |
DL |
6-4 |
280 |
Fr. |
Palatine, Ill. |
Palatine |
| Javari Barnett |
RB |
6-1 |
210 |
Fr. |
Tampa, Fla. |
Tampa Bay Tech |
| Kayden Bennett |
OLB |
6-2 |
240 |
Fr. |
Windsor, Conn. |
Suffield Academy |
| Michael Clayton II |
QB |
6-4 |
205 |
Fr. |
Orlando, Fla. |
Miami Edison |
| Kaedyn Cobbs |
LB |
6-2 |
210 |
Fr. |
Denton, Texas |
Guyer |
| Parker Crim |
DL |
6-3 |
250 |
Fr. |
Lima, Ohio |
Elida |
| Jacob Eberhart |
DB |
6-3 |
210 |
Fr. |
St. Louis, Mo. |
Kirkwood |
| Davon Grant |
WR |
6-4 |
210 |
Fr. |
DeKalb, Ill. |
DeKalb |
| Jack Gray |
P |
6-2 |
210 |
Fr. |
Adelaide, South Australia |
Immanuel |
| Nick Hankins Jr. |
DB |
6-0 |
195 |
Fr. |
Belleville, Ill. |
Belleville West |
| King Liggins |
DL |
6-4 |
285 |
Fr. |
Crete, Ill. |
Brother Rice |
| Maika Matelau |
OL |
6-4 |
290 |
So. |
Upland, Calif. |
Upland/Mt. San Antonio College |
| Jakwon Morris |
DB |
6-0 |
175 |
Jr. |
Tupelo, Miss. |
Tupelo/Northwest Mississippi CC |
| Kai Pritchard |
OL |
6-5 |
290 |
Fr. |
Little Egg Harbor, N.J. |
Donovan Catholic |
| Nas Rankin |
WR |
6-1 |
160 |
Fr. |
Chicago, Ill. |
Morgan Park |
| Kingston Reigns Shaw |
OLB |
6-3 |
255 |
Fr. |
Apopka, Fla. |
The First Academy |
| Champ Smith |
OL |
6-6 |
325 |
Fr. |
Fort Pierce, Fla. |
Vero Beach |
| Jaylen Stewart |
OLB |
6-3 |
225 |
Fr. |
Houston, Texas |
Pearland |
| TJ Taylor |
OL |
6-6 |
315 |
Jr. |
Santa Clarita, Calif. |
Golden Valley/College of the Canyons |
| Casey Thomann |
OL |
6-7 |
325 |
Fr. |
Olney, Ill. |
Richland County |
| Almirian Thomas |
DB |
6-1 |
170 |
Fr. |
Fort Myers, Fla. |
Cape Coral |
| Cameron Thomas |
LB |
6-1 |
215 |
Fr. |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
Lakota West |
| Will Vala |
TE |
6-3 |
225 |
Fr. |
Downers Grove, Ill. |
Downers Grove North |
| Landen Von Seggern |
OL |
6-4 |
275 |
Fr. |
Omaha, Neb. |
Millard South |
| Alfred Washington |
OL |
6-5 |
300 |
Jr. |
Pensacola, Fla. |
Escambia/Northeast Mississippi CC |
| Nelsyn Wheeler |
RB |
5-9 |
205 |
Fr. |
Grand Island, Neb. |
Millard South |
| Isaiah Williams |
DB |
6-0 |
190 |
Fr. |
Houston, Texas |
Fort Bend Marshall |
| Tony Williams |
LB |
6-0 |
210 |
Fr. |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
Raines |
Signing Class Breakdown
By State/Country (Hometown)
Illinois (8), Florida (8), Texas (3), California (2), Nebraska (2), Ohio (2), Connecticut (1), Mississippi (1), Missouri (1), New Jersey (1) Australia (1)
By Position
Quarterback (1), Running Back (2), Wide Receivers (3), Tight End (1), Offensive Line (7), Defensive Line (3), Outside Linebacker (4), Linebacker (3), Defensive Back (5), Punter (1)
