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Illinois Football: Top 5 recruiting targets left for the class of 2024

By Rees Woodcock

COLLEGE PARK, MD - OCTOBER 27: Football on the field during a college football game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Illinois Fighting Illini at Capitol One Field at Maryland Stadium on October 27, 2018 at College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
COLLEGE PARK, MD - OCTOBER 27: Football on the field during a college football game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Illinois Fighting Illini at Capitol One Field at Maryland Stadium on October 27, 2018 at College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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Dec 30, 2019; Santa Clara, California, USA; General view of the Illinois Fighting Illini helmet during the second quarter against California Golden Bears at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 1 Marquise Lightfoot

There are great recruits, and then there are players like Marquise Lightfoot. Illinois is big-game fishing, and one of the biggest recruits still left on the board is the talented edge from up north.

Lightfoot is a 6-foot-5, 220-pound edge from Kenwood Academy in Illinois. He is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 70 player in the class of 2024. He is also the No. 6 edge in the country and the No. 3 player coming out of Illinois.

The official visits are falling into place right now. Lightfoot visited Ohio State this past weekend. He will be at USC this weekend. He will also take an official visit to Miami (FL) on June 26. The Writing Illini was able to chat with Lightfoot, and he did confirm that an official visit is set up to Illinois as well. He will be taking a trip to Champaign midweek next week.

Three 247Sports “experts” have submitted Crystal Ball Predictions in favor of Ohio State to land Lightfoot. They each have a six out of 10 confidence in their pick, which isn’t high by any means.

This is obviously going to be a tough recruitment to win for the Illini. We are playing with the big boys of the college football world. The fact Lightfoot didn’t commit after the Ohio State visit is positive news. I think the Trojans will have an enticing offer this weekend too.

If Illinois can win this recruitment, it would send shockwaves throughout the college football world. This is one of those big battles that could change the program completely.

Next. Marquise Lightfoot confirms Illini official visit. dark

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