Top 5 Illinois Basketball and Football Recruiting Classes in the Last 15 Years

Oct 25, 2014; Champaign, IL, USA; The stadium during pregame between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Over the past fifteen years Illinois basketball and Illinois football has had some of their best recruiting classes in the history of the respective programs.  We have seen All-American talent in both sports that we are searching for again today.

This is the Top 5 best recruiting classes over that span of time.  You might argue where I have some of the classes but one thing you can’t argue with is how great the talent was.

We have seen players such as Brandon Paul become an exciting player that had the ability to put up 43 points on a random night against a certain team from Ohio.  That was exciting to see, but will his recruiting class make it in the Top 5?

Illinois basketball was not the only sport that brought in some serious talent through recruiting.  The football team has seen some success over the past fifteen years.  When a player like Juice Williams can throw four touchdowns in a big game against #1 team in the nation, which also happens to be a team from Ohio, it is exciting.

Will Juice’s recruiting class make it in the Top 5 recruiting classes over the last fifteen years?

While we all can agree that Illinois basketball and Illinois football has had great talent pass through those doors and suite up on gameday, I am sure that we will all not agree on this list.  Some of these draw an emotional connection over the years because these guys were a huge part of my life.

And now the moment you all have been waiting for, click next to view the #5 recruiting class in the last fifteen years.

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