LSU Football in the Mix for Coveted Illinois Quarterback as Recruitment Heats Up

Mundelein (Ill.) Carmel Catholic quarterback Trae Taylor has carved out a path as one of the top young signal-callers on the prep scene.

Taylor, who's fresh off of an impressive sophomore campaign for his high school squad, has put America on notice after gaining a myriad of offers.

The touted quarterback has hauled in nearly 40 college offers following his two seasons with Carmel Catholic, and with a pivotal offseason ahead, he's trimmed his list.

Taylor has revealed his finalists with the LSU Tigers joining Texas A&M, Michigan, Illinois and Nebraska. He's also considering Notre Dame and Georgia.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder is working through his process at a rapid pace after locking in on a handful of scholsl, but he's also ready to knock the recruiting process out of the way.

He's now set visits to each of his finalists with a trip to LSU in the works, but a date not yet finalized.

Taylor is set to visit the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (March 18), Illinois Illini (March 24), Michigan Wolverines (March 25), Nebraska Cornhuskers (March 27) and Texas A&M Aggies (March 29).

"The very first time I visited LSU, I absolutely fell in love with the campus and culture," Taylor wrote in a social media post.

Many are asking about my visits after dropping my top 5. With my commitment coming in June. Many things can happen so I’m going to keep building relationships, Until I commit. Here are thoughts on each school. Definitely blessed @PlayBookAthlete @QBHitList @SWiltfong_… pic.twitter.com/DtdkKnhNRo
— Trae Taylor (@Qb6Trae) February 20, 2025

Taylor has developed a relationship with LSU offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan across the last few months.

He's been to Baton Rouge on multiple occasions to soak in the scenes of Death Valley with the program ultimately making an impact in his recruitment.

The 2027 Recruiting Cycle is home to several impactful quarterbacks, including Baton Rouge (La.) Dunham School star Elijah Haven.

Haven, the No. 1 overall player in America, is a signal-caller firmly on the LSU Tigers' radar given he's right down the road.

Now, one domino is set to fall sooner rather than later with Taylor looking to shutdown his process and commit to a school with LSU being deemed a finalist.

For Brian Kelly and Co., the staff has begun looking at quarterbacks for the future in the 2026 cycle as well with a Big Board coming to shape.

The Priority Quarterback Targets: 2026 Edition

Jake Fette: Top-5 Quarterback in America

El Paso (Tex.) Del Valle quarterback Jake Fette has become a household name in the 2026 Recruiting Class with SEC programs beginning to extend scholarships his way.

Fette, a current Arizona State commit, has reeled in offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State and other talented programs as he gears up for his senior campaign.

Now, LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan has extended a scholarship offer to Fette with the Tigers getting in the mix.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder out of the Lone Star State committed to the Arizona State Sun Devils in September, but it hasn't stopped the "Who's Who" of college football from remaining in contact.

The youngster burst on the scene as a sophomore in 2023 after throwing for over 2,400 yards and 27 touchdowns with only five interceptions on the season. He also ran for over 340 yards and an additional 13 scores.

Fast forward to his junior campaign in 2024 and he carried the momentum into a pivotal season for his recruitment.

The dynamic signal-caller tossed for 2,488 yards and 32 touchdowns through the air. He also added 589 yards and 11 more scores on the ground while showcasing his mobility.

Fette led his squad to an undefeated regular season in 2024 while becoming the "franchise quarterback" for Del Valle.

Now, despite remaining committed to Kenny Dillingham and the Arizona State Sun Devils, other programs have turned up the heat with the LSU Tigers getting in the mix with an offer dished out.

Bowe Bentley: Four-Star Quarterback

Celina (Tex.) four-star quarterback Bowe Bentley has continued his rise as one of the top signal-callers in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle.

The fast-rising prospect out of the Lone Star State has been on a hot streak as of late after reeling in scholarships from Florida State, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Texas Tech.

Bentley is coming off of a dominant junior campaign where he began gaining national recognition as one of the top quarterbacks in Texas.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder torched defenses after logging 3,330 yards passing and 47 touchdowns while completing 70 percent of his throws. He added another 933 yards rushing and 16 more scores on his way to leading his prep squad to a state championship.

Now, Bentley's hot streak continues with the LSU Tigers entering the mix.

Co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan picked up the phone and dished out an offer to the prized 2026 star in January.

More LSU News:

The Breakdown: LSU Football Holds No. 1 Recruiting Class in the SEC

LSU Football "Firmly in the Mix" for Coveted Oregon Ducks Quarterback Commitment

Three Observations From LSU Baseball's Opening Weekend Sweep

Join the Community:

Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.