Illinois Football: Top 5 recruiting targets with Illini momentum

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CHAMPAIGN, IL – NOVEMBER 05: Illinois Fighting Illini band members cheer on the football team during the Big Ten Conference game as the Illini take on the Michigan State Spartans on November 5, 2016, at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

1. Jahleel Billingsley

One of the biggest, if not the biggest, recruit on the Illinois recruiting board right now is Jahleel Billingsley. Getting him would be one of the biggest snags for the Illini in the last decade.

Billingsley is a 6-foot-5, 225-pound tight end from Phillips Academy in Chicago, Illinois. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 258 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 10 tight end in the nation. Illinois has some solid momentum with this kid, but he is also being wooed by some other big-time programs as well.

247Sports has Florida as a possible destination other than Illinois, but this past weekend, Billingsley took an unofficial visit to Ohio State before heading to The Opening in Canton, Ohio. This is a visit I think is going under the radar right now. The Buckeyes are always a dangerous program when it comes to top recruits.

With that being said, I still think Illinois has a strong shot at landing Billingsley. It seems like him and his family love the Illini. The vibes I get from his recruitment is that Champaign will be his home for three or four years. Could you imagine this kid catching passes from Isaiah Williams? Wow, the future is bright.

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