Illinois Football: Ranking the last 10 Illini recruiting classes

The Illinois football team is in the middle of a resurgence on and off the football field.

Lovie Smith has made a huge impact on this program as far as recruiting goes. He has two recruiting classes under his belt with a third one in 2019 that is looking to be one of the best in program history. But, over the last 10 years, there have been some special players come through Champaign.

These special players have helped shape the Illinois football team to what we seed today, good or bad. The last 10 years have seen some solid ups, but we have also seen some of the lowest depths of the irrelevant world. That can’t happen again and with the talent Illinois is bringing in, I don’t think we have to worry about that.

Illinois hasn’t had an amazing class over the last 10 years, though. There have been some special classes but nothing that will blow your socks off. Yet, in every class, there are recruits who emerge from nowhere who have gone on to be great Illini players. Illinois has also had a handful of players go to the NFL Draft as well.

Here is a ranking of the last 10 Illini recruiting classes for the football team.