Bret Bielema has brought a sense of pride to the Illinois football program when it comes to recruiting.
The previous Illini coaching staff couldn’t knock recruiting out of the park. They were able to land a few big-time players, but the quantity was not there and the quality overall was lacking.
Bielema steps in and instantly, Illinois recruiting has become solid. We are bringing in talented players from top to bottom, and there is enough talent to fill out the depth chart for multiple strings.
Some states have been better than others when it comes to recruiting, though.
Here are the top 10 states for Illinois football recruiting under Bret Bielema
10. California
Illinois football recruiting has been quite top-heavy with a couple of states dominating the recruiting scene. But California does check in with a couple of talented players who could help the Illini in the near future.
Highest Rated: Will Leys
Bielema and the Illinois coaching staff were able to land Leys a couple of weeks ago. He is a 6-foot-3, 285-pound offensive lineman coming from Saddleback College in California. He isn’t rated or ranked by 247Sports, but Leys did have roughly 11 scholarship offers coming out of the JUCO ranks.
I have Leys coming in this season and contributing right away. The starting five offensive linemen are pretty much set, but there is a lot of inexperience at the second level of the depth chart.
With Leys coming in from the JUCO ranks, this gives Illinois some type of post-high school experience as a primary backup. He should help the offensive line in 2023.
Additional Talent
Illinois was able to land one more player from the state of California from the last three recruiting classes.
Prince Ford is also coming in from the class of 2023. He is a 6-foot, 170-pound cornerback from Golden West College in California. He isn’t rated or ranked by 247Sports, but building depth in the secondary is crucial for the Illini.
We lost so much talent from the secondary in the 2023 NFL Draft, so having solid backups who have some type of post-high school experience is big for the program. I don’t see Ford starting, but I do see him getting snaps in 2023.
9. Michigan
Historically, Michigan hasn’t exactly been a recruiting hub for the Illinois football program, but we are starting to snag players from this talent-rich state.
Highest Rated Player: Mason Muragin
Illinois is going to have one of the best front sevens in the country this season. We have so much talent on the line and at linebacker. But that talent will eventually graduate or depart for the NFL Draft. So, having someone like Muragin is important.
Muragin is a 6-foot-4, 235-pound edge from De La Salle Collegiate High School in Michigan. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 1284 player in the class of 2023. He is also the No. 116 edge in the country and the No. 23 player coming out of Michigan.
I don’t expect to see much out of Muragin in 2023 due to him being a true freshman and Illinois having so much talent. Muragin will transition into the designation of outside linebacker most likely. This will give him the flexibility to either cover tight ends or slot receivers, or he can rush the passer.
Additional Talent
In addition to Muragin, Illinois was also able to snag Jeremiah Warren out of Michigan. He is a 6-foot-4, 285-pound defensive lineman from Belleville High School. Warren is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 1337 player in the class of 2023. He is also the No. 144 defensive lineman in the country and the No. 24 player coming out of Michigan.
Again, much like Muragin, Warren shouldn’t see much time this season. Illinois has a ton of talent on the defensive line, and this gives Warren time to redshirt.
Overall, I like what the state of Michigan is bringing Illinois. I expect both Muragin and Warren to contribute in 2024 and move into starting roles by 2025.
No. 8 Ohio
The next few states may have only produced one player over the last three recruiting classes, but I expect these players to make a huge impact on the program.
Highest Rated Player: Collin Dixon
Bret Bielema has been able to do some great work on the recruiting trail. Illinois has been able to land some talented players over the past three recruiting classes, and one of the more impressive gets was Collin Dixon.
Dixon is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound wide receiver from Tallmadge High School in Ohio. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 821 player in the class of 2023. He is also the No. 116 wide receiver in the country and the No. 26 player coming out of Ohio.
At one time, Dixon was committed to Wisconsin. They had some coaching turnover but were still able to land Luke Fickell from Cincinnati. Despite the solid coaching hire, Illinois was still able to flip Dixon from the Badgers to the Illini for the class of 2023.
Additional Talent
Dixon is the only player in the last three recruiting classes to come out of Ohio. He should be a pretty special talent, though.
I fully expect Dixon to get snaps this season. Illinois doesn’t have a ton of depth at wide receiver. I love our starters in Isaiah Williams, Casey Washington, Pat Bryant, and Hank Beatty, but beyond them, there is a lot of unproven talent. This gives Dixon a chance to shine. Look for Dixon to make an early impact on the Illinois depth chart.
Ohio might have only produced one recruit in the past three classes, but Dixon is a good player. He is going to be a big piece to the Illini offense.
No. 7 Wisconsin
I fully expect the state of Wisconsin to be a recruiting hub for the Illinois football team in the near future, but we haven’t started to pluck a ton of talent from this state. The player we did snag is a good one, though.
Highest Rated Player: Joey Okla
Illinois has one of the best offensive lines in college football last season. Our quarterback could throw the ball all over the field and our running back ran wild nearly every game. The big reason for that was due to the great offensive line.
After the season concluded, the Illini lost multiple members of that offensive line. While we have the pieces to plug the holes, now we need solid backups. Joey Okla is one of those backups.
Okla entered the Illinois program last season and took a redshirt. He is now entering his redshirt freshman season at 6-foot-2, 325 pounds and ready to take a primary backup role on the offensive line.
Coming out of the class of 2022, Okla was a highly-rated recruit as well. He was a three-star offensive lineman who was ranked as the No. 890 player in the class of 2022. He was also the No. 45 interior offensive lineman in the country and the No. 9 player coming out of Wisconsin.
Additional Talent
Wisconsin has only produced one recruit for the Illinois program since Bret Bielema took the reins. This is a bit of a surprise, but I think that will change in the near future.
Okla is a special talent, though. He has a chance to develop his game this season, and I fully expect him to contend for a starting job in 2024. Illinois is going to once again lose a lot of offensive line talent. This is a chance for him to shine.
No. 6 Oklahoma
This is the final state that hasn’t produced much for the Illini, but the one player that Oklahoma did bring the program is going to be extremely important for the future.
Highest Rated Player: Cal Swanson
Illinois doesn’t usually bring in freshmen quarterbacks who rank inside the top 1000, but I think Swanson has a chance to be a really special player for the program.
Swanson is a 6-foot-3, 185-pound quarterback from Ardmore High School in Oklahoma. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 853 player in the class of 2023. He is also the No. 43 quarterback in the country and the No. 12 player coming out of the state of Oklahoma.
Throughout camps and the recruiting process, Swanson continued to improve greatly. He went from having a rating of 0.8367 to finishing with a rating of 0.8694. That is an astronomical rise in the recruiting world.
Additional Talent
Swanson is the lone Oklahoma recruit to pledge to the Illini. I don’t expect this state to ever turn into a pipeline, but we were able to land a great one in Swanson.
I think Swanson has a chance to be our future starting quarterback. Illinois has Luke Altmyer who just transferred in. He is a sophomore this season, and I fully expect him to start all three years in Champaign.
Swanson should redshirt in 2023. By the time he is a redshirt junior, the starting job will be open. That is when I think he could take the starting job. If Altmyer falters at all, Swanson might be able to sneak in sooner.
Having quarterback depth is something that I am not familiar with at Illinois. I love the addition of Swanson. This was a big get for the Illini over the past three recruiting classes.
No. 5 Kansas
Now we are starting to get to the bulk of the Illinois recruiting picture. The state of Kansas has produced a couple of Illinois football players who are and should make an impact on the team this season.
Highest Rated Player: Isaiah Adams
The Illinois offensive line got a massive boost in 2022 when we were able to pull in Adams. He came from Garden City Community College in Kansas and was a borderline top 1000 recruit in the country.
Adams came into the program and started every game for the Illini last season. He started 12 of the 13 contests at left guard and the other game was at left tackle. He now enters the 2023 campaign as a preseason All-Big Ten player, and he is one of the highest-rated returning offensive linemen in the Big Ten.
I have Adams going from left guard to tackle this season. He can play any role on the offensive line, and Illinois needs another solid tackle to help fend off defenders. The Illini also have Jordyn Slaughter to help fill the left guard gap.
Additional Talent
The other player coming in from the state of Kansas is Dez’Mond Schuster. He is a 6-foot-5, 311-pound offensive lineman from Hutchinson Community College. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 51 JUCO player in the country. He is also the No. 2 interior offensive lineman in the nation and the No. 14 player coming out of Kansas.
Schuster should come in and be a primary backup at one of the offensive linemen positions. He has solid post-high school experience, and he is regarded as one of the best JUCO players in the class of 2023.
Kansas produced two great additions to the Illinois football program. Adams has a chance to be an NFL Draft pick in the near future, and Schuster could take his spot once he leaves. The Illinois coaching staff did a great job in the state of Kansas.
No. 4 Mississippi
One state that has been a pleasant surprise over the past three recruiting classes has been Mississippi. This state has produced a few talented players who will help the program win a lot of games.
Highest Rated Player: Zy Crisler
Bret Bielema has done a great job snagging JUCO players during his time at Illinois. Zy Crisler was one of those great gets last year.
Crisler came into the Illinois program as a three-star recruit and was ranked as the No. 25 JUCO player in the class of 2022. He was also the No. 7 player coming out of Mississippi.
Now at 6-foot-6, 330 pounds, Crisler is looking to be a starter for the program once again. In his first year at Illinois, Crisler was able to start all 13 games for the Orange and Blue at right guard. I fully expect him to be the starter once again as a junior.
Additional Talent
Ashton Hollins also came in from the class of 2022. He entered as an athlete, but he is now a wide receiver on the Illinois roster.
Hollins took a redshirt season in year one, but look for him to make an impact in 2023. At 6-foot-5, 180 pounds, Hollins should be a prime target for Luke Altmyer.
I also like the addition of Kaleb Patterson from the class of 2023. He is a 6-foot-2, 186-pound cornerback from Pearl River Community College. Rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 39 JUCO player in the class of 2023, I fully expect Patterson to come in and give Illinois snaps this season. He has experience, and we need it in the secondary.
Mississippi has been good to Illinois over the past three recruiting classes. It will continue being important in the future, as we have already landed a talented quarterback, Trey Petty, from the class of 2024. Keep an eye on this state moving forward.
No. 3 New Jersey
With the third-most recruits Illinois has pulled in over the last three recruiting classes, New Jersey has proved to be a nice pipeline for talent.
Highest Rated Player: Saboor Karriem
Landing four-star recruits hasn’t been easy over the past 10 or 15 years, let alone landing those talented players from other states. But Illinois was able to snag an extremely talented recruit in Karriem.
Karriem is a 6-foot-3, 180-pound safety from West Orange High School in New Jersey. He is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 343 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 roughly 24 scholarship offers, Karriem was not an easy recruit to land. Bret Bielema and the Illini coaching staff were able to pull him in, though.
I think Karriem is going to be a huge addition to the Illinois football program. With players like Sydney Brown and Quan Martin now in the NFL, the Illini needed more safety help. Karriem will probably see snaps this season and should be starting by 2024. That is how much of an impact he is going to make in Champaign.
Additional Talent
In addition to Karriem, Illinois has been able to fill a lot of depth needs through the state of New Jersey.
I am excited to see what Donovan Leary can do at quarterback. He has potential and could end up being a starter down the road. Owen Anderson brings more depth to the tight end room as well. Both of these players came from the class of 2022, and they both redshirted last season.
Illinois also had Zachary Aamland come in from the class of 2023. He is an offensive lineman who isn’t highly rated, but he will fill in some holes. Aamland will be a nice depth piece for the future.
New Jersey has a chance to be a special state for Illinois recruiting. Karriem and the crew from the east coast will be big pieces to the puzzle for the Illini.
No. 2 Florida
The No. 2 state that has been the best to the Illini when it comes to recruiting is Florida. Illinois has pulled 17 recruits from the state of Florida over the last three recruiting classes.
Highest Rated Player: Kenari Wilcher
There are so many talented players coming out of Florida, but Wilcher takes the cake as the highest-rated recruit from the Sunshine State.
Wilcher is a 5-foot-11, 165-pound athlete from Moore Haven High School. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 715 player in the class of 2023. He is also the No. 50 athlete in the country and the No. 111 player coming out of Florida.
It was great that Wilcher enrolled at Illinois early. He is coming into the program as a wide receiver, which will give us more depth at a crucial position. I think Wilcher will have a chance to see snaps this season, but look for him to really break out in 2024.
Additional Talent
There are 16 other players from the state of Florida, so I will only name a few here in the additional talent section.
Wide receiver Pay Bryant is a gem from Florida. He is one of our best wide receivers but was a sub-1000 recruit. Tyler Strain was also overlooked by many from the class of 2021, as he should be a key contributor in the Illinois secondary this season.
From the class of 2022, I am excited to see what Elijah Mc-Cantos can do at cornerback this season. He was a top 700 recruit. Shawn Miller is healthy and ready to make an impact at wide receiver. He was a top 800 recruit. I haven’t even mentioned Gabe Jacas. He was the No. 1254 player in the class of 2022 and ended up being a Freshman All-American.
Illinois also has some special talent joining Wilcher in the class of 2023. Calvin Smith is going to be a great impact player on defense. I am also intrigued to see Zachary Tobe in the secondary. Both players are top 1000 recruits.
For just about every team in the country, the state of Florida is a great place to recruit. With all of those programs vying for the same talent, it is impressive that Illinois can pull in high-level players. Florida is a big-time recruiting hub for the Illini.
No. 1 Illinois
The biggest and best state for Illinois to recruit during the Bret Bielema era is the state of Illinois. This is the way it should be. Illinois should pull most of their recruits from the state of Illinois.
Highest Rated Player: Malik Elzy
The Illinois football program had to fight for Elzy. He was once committed to Cincinnati but backed away from that commitment in the middle of last season. Illinois pounced and was able to pull Elzy away from a potential commitment to Wisconsin.
Elzy is a 6-foot-2, 204-pound wide receiver from Simeon High School in Illinois. He is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 225 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 the state of Illinois.
I see Elzy coming into the Illinois program and being one of the go-to targets from day one. While he might not start, he will be the first player off the bench as a sub. By 2024, Elzy will be featured as a starter for the program.
Additional Talent
Illinois has been the most lucrative state for recruiting. We have landed 27 in-state recruits over the past three recruiting classes. Most of these recruits came from the class of 2022 and 2023, though.
Along with Elzy, Illinois also brought in four-star Kaden Feagin. He is a running back who will contend for the starting job from day one. Locking in two four-star in-state recruits is something that I haven’t seen Illinois accomplish in quite some time.
Illinois also landed top 1000 offensive lineman Brandon Henderson from the class of 2023. I expect him to be a starter in the next couple of years. He has potential through the roof.
The class of 2022 brought in three top 1000 in-state recruits. All three redshirted in 2022, and I look forward to seeing them emerge as big pieces this season. Jared Badie is going to help on the defense tremendously, and Aidan Laughery and Eian Pugh give the Illinois offense more depth.
A sneaky in-state player is Josh Kreutz from the class of 2021. I think there is a legit shot he starts at center for the Illini this season.
The state of Illinois is and should always be the main recruiting hub for the program. Bret Bielema got us back to recruiting well in-state once again.