Illinois Football: Next big 2024 Illini recruiting targets after missing on Marquise Lightfoot

Monday brought some bad news for the Illinois football program when it came to recruiting.

It was my great hope that the Illini would not only be competitive in the recruitment of edge Marquise Lightfoot, but I wanted Bret Bielema to shock the world and keep him home.

That didn’t end up happening, though. The top 150 recruit didn’t stay in-state but instead headed to warmer pastures. He decided that the Miami Hurricanes would be the best spot for his development.

Now the Illini are out on Lightfoot, it is time to start looking at the next biggest fish in the pond. There are plenty of solid recruits still left for the class of 2024, but who is going to be the next highest-rated recruit for Illinois to potentially land?

Bret Bielema and the Illinois football team have their eyes set on a few of the top recruits left in 2024

• Ca’lil Valentine – #349 – Running Back

Illinois has a legit shot to land running back, Ca’lil Valentine. The 6-foot, 180-pound ball carrier from Arizona is a three-star recruit and is ranked as the No. 349 player in the class of 2024. He is also the No. 30 running back in the country and the No. 7 player coming out of Arizona.

This recruitment seems to be down to just Utah and Illinois. 247Sports has the Utes favored, but it is only a six out of 10 confidence. This would be a great get for the Illini and one that would bolster the running back room. A commitment is coming on July 8.

• Darrion Dupree – #366 – Running Back

Needless to say, the Illini have formed into a running back program again. We are a top team for Darrion Dupree. He is a 5-foot-10, 190-pound running back from Illinois. Dupree is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 366 player in the class of 2024. He is also the No. 32 running back in the country and the No. 8 player coming out of Illinois.

Bielema has a great history of developing and putting running backs into the NFL. This is a great recruiting pitch for running backs like Dupree. The recruitment of Dupree seems to be down to Missouri, Wisconsin, and Illinois. The Badgers have a seven out of 10 confidence to land the talented running back, according to 247Sports. A commitment is coming on July 7.

• Kevin Levy – #694 – Wide Receiver

Illinois wants to load up on offense, and landing someone like Kevin Levy would help. He is a 6-foot, 170-pound wide receiver from Florida. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 694 player in the class of 2024. Levy is also the No. 72 athlete in the country and the No. 101 player in the state of Florida.

A commitment for Levy is coming on July 15. Florida State, Louisville, Rutgers, and Illinois are the four teams vying for his pledge, but 247Sports has the Seminoles as the favorite with a six out of 10 confidence.