ESPN Ranks Illinois Football's 2026 Recruiting Class Among Nation's Top 10

The Illini are putting together their best recruiting class in decades, and working to ensure the program remains nationally relevant for years to come

Oct 12, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema celebrates a 50-49 win over the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Last season Illinois football went 10-3, won a bowl game against South Carolina and now is set to return nearly every starter from the 2024 roster – including star quarterback Luke Altmyer.

The expectations for 2025? Higher than the program has known in decades.

As for 2026, the roster will be heavily turned over – and perhaps the expectations with it. But the default option for most Illini fans regarding that topic: worry about that when the time comes.

Coach Bret Bielema and his staff couldn't take a more different view on that front, though. The Illini coaches have put together a class of 2026 that is shaping up to be Illinois’ best recruiting haul of the century.

In ESPN's ranking of college football's top 25 recruiting classes, Illinois landed at a more-than-respectable No. 9. Current Illini commits Nasir Rankin and Cam Thomas headline the class on the offensive and defensive sides, respectively.

BREAKING: Four-Star ATH Nasir Rankin has Committed to Illinois, he tells me for @on3recruits

The 6’1 177 ATH from Chicago, IL chose the Fighting Illini over USC, North Carolina, & Nebraska

Will play basketball for Illinois as wellhttps://t.co/TS0QjceuaA pic.twitter.com/1Wyc6X6188

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 21, 2025

What makes the news all the more impressive is that ESPN put together its rankings before the Illini landed four-star offensive tackle Kai Pritchard – their second ESPN 300 commit (after Rankin).

And if that weren’t enough, Illinois also added the top recruit in the state of Connecticut (edge rusher Kayden Bennett) and three-star defensive back Isaiah Williams. 

Still, the recruiting-rich Big Ten has a handful of schools with classes that outrank even Illinois', including Rutgers (No. 8), Penn State (No. 5), Ohio State (No. 2) and USC (No. 1) – although, once again, the rankings were compiled prior to the trio of aforementioned commits.

Nonetheless, the message is clear: Illinois’ 10-win season doesn't have to be an anomaly. Bielema has built a pipeline of talent that could make it simply the first chapter of a new era in Champaign.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Three-Star Edge Rusher Flips Commitment From Oklahoma State to Illinois

Four-Star Quarterback From Utah Makes Official Visit to Champaign

Brad Underwood, Bret Bielema, Shauna Green Feature in Chicago Cubs' 'Illini Night'