Illinois Football Flips Former Air Force Commitment LB Jack Paris

Bret Bielema and the Illini added another quality piece to what is shaping up as a loaded 2025 defense

Oct 19, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema leads his team into the stadium before kickoff against the Michigan Wolverines game at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Coach Bret Bielema and the Illinois football program rounded out its 2025 recruiting class Monday, two days before national signing day, by securing three-star in-state linebacker and former Air Force commitment Jack Paris.

Paris, who announced the news in an Instagram post Monday afternoon, became the Fighting Illini's 22nd commitment and seventh in-state player to opt for a football future in Champaign.

Paris played for 7A powerhouse Fenwick High School (Oak Park, Illinois), where he was a key component on last season's Friars team that finished 8-3 before losing in the second round to 2023 7A state runner-up Downers Grove North on a last-second field goal.

"No place like home," Paris posted.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Paris is a top-50 player at his position, according to 247 Sports. Paris had offers from various programs, including Ball State, Wyoming, Vanderbilt, Northern Illinois, Toledo and others.

After committing to Air Force before the start of his senior season, Paris changed directions and can now remain closer to Oak Park, where he was born and raised.

Paris will join an already–stellar defensive unit that welcomed reinforcements in the transfer additions of defensive lineman Curt Neal (Wisconsin), edge rusher Leon Lowery Jr. (Wisconsin), defensive lineman James Thompson Jr. (Wisconsin) and edge rusher Tomiwa Durojaiye (Florida State).

An hour before Paris made his commitment, Durojaiye spoke with FOX Illinois and other reporters during a media scrum in which he speculated how strong the Illini defense could be under defensive coordinator Aaron Henry and co-defensive coordinator Terrance Jamison's guidance moving forward.

#illini transfer Tomiwa Durojaiye transferred to Illinois because of proven NFL development

Applauded Bret Bielema and Terrance Jamison for sending Keith Randolph and Johnny Newton to the pros

Mentioned how good the 2022 defense was with Devon Witherspoon

He’s coming from… pic.twitter.com/dtfnTKPhW1

— Carson Gourdie (@GourdieReport) February 3, 2025

"I've seen what Coach [Jamison] has done [with transfers]," Durojaiye said. "I'm big on doing research [of players who went to the NFL], so I've seen what Coach [Bielema] has done with transfers all the way back to the days of [coaching at] Wisconsin and stuff like that."

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