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Illinois Football: Breakdown of the Illini class of 2023

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 02: The Illinois Fighting Illini helmet on the field in the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on November 02, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 02: The Illinois Fighting Illini helmet on the field in the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on November 02, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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Illinois football
Jan 2, 2023; Tampa, FL, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the first half in the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Illinois football closed out their class of 2023 on Wednesday with one of the best groups to arrive in Champaign in decades.

Bret Bielema and the Illini coaching staff secured the No. 43 class in the country, giving the program back-to-back top 50 classes for the first time since the Ron Zook era.

In this class is a mix of talented players on both sides of the ball. Let’s go over some of the recruits who picked the Illini.

Here is a breakdown of the Illinois football class of 2023.

Top of the class

  • Malik Elzy

Illinois was able to secure the best recruiting class we have seen in over a decade. The highest-rated recruit in the class is Malik Elzy.

Elzy is a 6-foot-2, 204-pound wide receiver out of Simeon High School in Chicago. He is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 224 player in the class of 2023. He is also the No. 33 wide receiver in the country and the No. 4 player coming out of Illinois.

Look for Elzy to be competing for a starting job from day one. While the Illini have talent at wide receiver, Elzy’s size and athletic ability will jump off the page.

  • Saboor Karriem

Bielema was able to bring in and hold on to some impressive defensive talent. Saboor Karriem is one of the defenders that Illinois secured, and he should be a big-time safety for the program.

Karriem is a 6-foot-3, 180-pound safety out of West Orange High School in New Jersey. He is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 342 player in the class of 2023. He is also the No. 33 safety in the country and the No. 6 player coming out of New Jersey.

With so much defensive talent departing, Karriem is going to have plenty of opportunities to come in and see snaps from day one. I think there is a legit shot he is our starting safety for the majority of the 2023 campaign.

  • Kaden Feagin

I think the Illinois class of 2023 could be summed up in one word; weapons. The Illini are bringing in a ton of weapons, and Kaden Feagin strengthens this thought.

Feagin is a 6-foot-3, 221-pound running back from Arthur Senior High School in Illinois. He is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 376 player in the class of 2023. He is also the No. 19 running back in the country and the No. 5 player coming out of Illinois.

Illinois lost a legend in Chase Brown. While we do have talented backups like Reggie Love III and Josh McCray, the coaching staff might be blown away by Feagin’s ability on the field. With him enrolling early, look for Feagin to make some waves.

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