Illinois Football Early Signing Day Tracker: Every Player Coming in 2026

Follow along as Illinois builds its 2026 recruiting class during the college football early signing period, a 72-hour window that began Wednesday and ends Friday. Our Illinois on SI real-time tracker features every official signee, individual breakdowns, position group insights and assessments of how the Illini's class stacks up nationally.

Full list of Illinois' 2026 early signees

Last updated: Dec. 4, 2025 @ 8:33 p.m. CT*

Player	Position	Size	Previous school	High school	Home	247 position rank	Rivals position rank	ESPN position rank
Jacob Alexander	DE	6-4 / 240		Lincoln-Way East	Frankfort, Illinois	76	98	105
Kenyon Alston	WR	6-2 / 185		Bishop Moore Catholic	Orlando, Florida	157	92	105
Tony Balanganayi	OL	6-4 / 260		Palatine	Palatine, Illinois	54	66	109
Javari Barnett	RB	5-11 / 205		Tampa Bay Tech	Tampa Bay, Florida	41	38	37
Kayden Bennett	DL	6-2 / 245		Suffield Academy	Suffield, Conn.	102	112	35
Michael Clayton II	QB	6-3 / 200		Edison	Miami, Florida	53	91	49
Kaedyn Cobbs	LB	6-0 / 195		Denton Guyer	Denton, Texas	102	135	61
Parker Crim	DE	6-3 / 235		Elida	Elida, Ohio	63	35	73
Jacob Eberhart	S	6-3 / 200		Kirkwood	St. Louis, Missouri	36	22	37 (ATH)
Davon Grant	WR	6-4 / 200		DeKalb	DeKalb, Illinois	102	57	45 (ATH)
Jack Gray	P	6-0 / 180		ProKick Australia	Australia	3	9	31 (K)
Nick Hankins	CB	6-0 / 190		Belleville West	Belleville, Illinois	16	12	21
King Liggins	DL	6-2 / 285		Brother Rice	Oak Lawn, Illinois	104	102	78
Maika Matelau**	OL	6-4 / 288	Mt. San Antonio College		Upland, California	1 JUCO		3 JUCO
Jakwon Morris**	CB	6-0 / 170	Northwest Miss. CC		Senatobia, Miss.	1 JUCO	1 JUCO	1 JUCO
Kai Pritchard	OL	6-5 / 290		Donovan Catholic	Toms River, N.J.	12	67	14
Nasir Rankin	WR	5-11 / 180		Morgan Park	Chicago, Illinois	13	55	8 (ATH)
Kingston Shaw	DE	6-3 / 235		The First Academy	Orlando, Florida	100	101	104
Micah Smith	OL	6-5 / 325		Vero Beach	Vero Beach, Florida	25	21	14
Jaylen Stewart	DE	6-1 / 235		Pearland	Pearland, Texas	70	82	91
TJ Taylor**	OT	6-6 / 300	College of the Canyons		Santa Clarita, California	2 JUCO	4	2 JUCO
Casey Thomann	OT	6-7 / 302		Olney	Olney, Illinois	90	54	55
Almirian Thomas	CB	6-1 / 165		Cape Coral	Cape Coral, Florida	50	36	47
Cam Thomas	LB	6-2 / 217		Lakota West	West Chester, Ohio	44	60	29
Will Vala	TE	6-3 / 225		Downers Grove North	Downers Grove, Illinois	84	98	13
Landen Von Seggern	OL	6-3 / 280		Millard South	Omaha, Nebraska	94	82	66
Alfred Washington**	OT	6-5 / 290	Northeast Miss. CC		Pensacola, Florida	4 JUCO	11 JUCO	13 JUCO
Nelsyn Wheeler	RB	5-9 / 200		Millard South	Omaha, Nebraska	101	81	43
Isaiah Williams	S	6-0 / 190		Fort Bend Marshall	Missouri City, Texas	71	92	73
Tony Williams	LB	5-10 / 215		Raines	Jacksonville, Florida	103	93	8

*Early enrollee
**Transfer

Flashback to Illinois' 2024 early signing day

Top signings in Illinois' class of 2026

Bret Bielema has said he expects a handful of players from this class to make an impact right away, and safety Jacob Eberhart, cornerback Almirian Thomas and linebacker Cam Thomas are among those who could provide early returns for the Illini.

But the newcomers most likely to deliver big returns now and in the future are a pair of four-star recruits – cornerback Nick Hankins and athlete Nasir Rankin – as well as JUCO offensive linemen TJ Taylor and Maika Matelau.

Historical context and class ranking

Top 25 signing class — Momentum rising. pic.twitter.com/qA39ERXBei
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) December 3, 2025

Illinois fans can be forgiven for feeling a bit empty after a 2025 that hasn't delivered on its promise. But some perspective is also in order: Bielema has led the Illini to its first back-to-back eight-win seasons since 1990, and he has done it on the strength of player development and steadily improved talent acquisition. After pulling in college football's No. 73-ranked recruiting class (per 247Sports) in 2001, Bielema's first year in Champaign, he has consistently put together classes that hovered in and around the 40s.

The breakthrough came in this class, which ranked No. 21 as of Wednesday (which figures to fluctuate some between now and when transfers and late signees lock in). Bielema and his staff not only plucked gems from talent hotbeds such as Florida and California, and conquered the JUCO market – they also made inroads in old haunting grounds such as the Chicago and St. Louis areas. If the Illini continue on their current trajectory, the signings of four- and five-star recruits that had been as rare as bowl games in the past could become something of a staple in Champaign.

Illinois recruiting surprises, flips and misses

Defensive end Jaylen Stewart (Oklahoma State), running back Nelsyn Wheeler (Northern Illinois) and offensive tackle Alfred Washington (Marshall) were all solid flips for the Illini, but the two most significant changes of heart may have also been the program's two biggest surprises.

Running back Javari Bennett, who chose Alabama after initially signing with Illinois, was flipped back to the Illini on Wednesday. It showed that Bielema and his still-evolving Big Ten outsider can compete directly with an SEC blueblood – and win. Somewhat similarly, signing away offensive tackle Micah "Champion" Smith from UCLA demonstrated that Illinois has the cachet to pull a recruit from a Big Ten rival, a great school and a gorgeous near-beachside campus to play amid the cornfields of Central Illinois.

Illinois position-by-position breakdown

More analysis to come

Jacob Alexander, defensive end, Lincoln-Way East (Frankfort, Illinois)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 240 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 76
• Notable offers: Michigan, Nebraska, Missouri

Kenyon Alston, wide receiver, Bishop Catholic (Orlando, Florida)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 185 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 157
• Notable offers: Florida State, Miami, Michigan

Tony Balanganayi, offensive lineman, Palatine (Illinois)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 260 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 54
• Notable offers: Michigan, Nebraska, Miami, Ole Miss

Javari Barnett, running back, Tampa Bay (Florida) Tech

• Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 205 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 41
• Notable offers: Alabama, Miami, Ole Miss, Nebraska

Kayden Bennett, defensive lineman, Suffield (Connecticut) Academy

• Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 245 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 102
• Notable offers: Washington, West Virginia, UConn

Michael Clayton II, quarterback, Edison (Miami, Florida)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 53
• Notable offers: South Carolina, Nebraska, Louisville

Kaedyn Cobbs, linebacker, Denton (Texas) Guyer

• Height/weight: 6-feet, 195 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 102
• Notable offers: Nebraska, Baylor, Texas Tech

Parker Crim, defensive end, Elida (Ohio)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 235 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 63
• Notable offers: Iowa State, Boston College

Jacob Eberhart, safety, Kirkwood (St. Louis, Missouri)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 36
• Notable offers: Ohio State, Oregon, Alabama, Oklahoma

Davon Grant, wide receiver, DeKalb (Illinois)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 200 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 102
• Notable offers: Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin

Jack Gray, punter, ProKick Australia

• Height/weight: 6-feet, 180 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 3
• Notable offers: N/A

Nick Hankins, cornerback, Belleville (Illinois) West

• Height/weight: 6-feet, 190 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 16
• Notable offers: Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

King Liggins, defensive lineman, Brother Rice (Oak Lawn, Illinois)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 285 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 104
• Notable offers: Indiana, Iowa, Virginia, Vanderbilt

Maika Matelau, offensive lineman, Mt. San Antonio College (Upland, California)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 288 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 1 JUCO
• Notable offers: Nebraska, Wisconsin, BYU, Virginia

Jakwon Morris, cornerback, Northwest Mississippi CC (Senatobia, Miss.)

• Height/weight: 6-feet, 170 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 1 JUCO
• Notable offers: USC, Ole Miss, West Virginia

Kai Pritchard, offensive lineman, Donovan Catholic (Toms River, N.J.)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 290 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 12
• Notable offers: Penn State, Tennessee, Rutgers

Nasir Rankin, wide receiver, Morgan Park (Oak Lawn, Illinois)

• Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 180 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 13
• Notable offers: Oregon, Indiana, Michigan

Kingston Shaw, defensive end, The First Academy (Orlando, Florida)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 235 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 100
• Notable offers: Michigan State, Pitt, Mississippi State

Micah Smith, interior offensive lineman, Vero Beach (Florida)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 325 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 25
• Notable offers: Ohio State, Penn State, Alabama, Miami (Fla.)

Jaylen Stewart, defensive end, Pearland (Texas)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 235 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 70
• Notable offers: Oklahoma State, Arizona, USC

TJ Taylor, offensive tackle, College of the Canyons (Valencia, California)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 300 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 2 JUCO
• Notable offers: Arizona, UCLA, SMU

Casey Thomann, offensive tackle, Olney (Illinois)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 302 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 90
• Notable offers: Iowa, Nebraska, Vanderbilt

Almirian Thomas, wide receiver, Cape Coral (Florida)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 165 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 50
• Notable offers: Indiana, Minnesota, West Virginia

Cam Thomas, linebacker, Lakota Wast (West Chester, Ohio)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 217 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 44
• Notable offers: Oregon, Indiana, Michigan

Will Vala, tight end, Downers Grove (Illinois) North

• Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 225 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 84
• Notable offers: Indiana, Wisconsin, Louisville

Landen Von Seggern, offensive lineman, Millard South (Omaha, Nebraska)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 280 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 94
• Notable offers: Iowa, Kansas State, Kansas

Alfred Washington, Northeast Mississippi CC (Booneville, Mississippi)

• Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 290 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 4 JUCO
• Notable offers: Marshall, North Texas, New Mexico State

Nelsyn Wheeler, running back, Millard South (Omaha, Nebraska)

• Height/weight: 5-foot-9, 200 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 101
• Notable offers: Wisconsin, Michigan State, Northwestern

Isaiah Williams, safety, Fort Bend Marshall (Missouri City, Texas)

• Height/weight: 6-feet, 190 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 71
• Notable offers: Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M

Tony Williams, linebacker, Raines (Jacksonville, Florida)

• Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 215 pounds
• Star rating: ★★★ (247Sports)
• Position Rank: No. 103
• Notable offers: UCF, West Virginia