Illinois football has had quite the recruiting run the past few months, as we are one of the top teams in the country right now.
With 11 commitments, the Illini ranks No. 11 in the country for the class of 2026. That is something rarely seen by anyone alive, let alone anyone under the age of 20.
Bret Bielema has the Illinois football program in a really good place. The hope is that we continue to land big-time recruits and keep the 2026 class inside the top 20 nationally. Landing someone like Canon Pickett would help.
Pickett is a 6-foot-4, 320-pound offensive lineman from Tampa Bay Tech in Florida. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 445 player in the class of 2026. He is also the No. 41 interior offensive lineman in the country and the No. 65 player coming out of Florida.
On Monday, Pickett took to social media to announce that he had received a scholarship offer from Illinois. According to Pickett, this is his 39th offer.
Blessed to receive my 39th offer from the University of Illinois @TerryHawthorne1 @SWiltfong_ @ChadSimmons_ @JohnGarcia_Jr @adamgorney @RivalsFriedMan @247hudson @on3keith @BigPlayRay50 @bayarealab @pickett_booker @CaliPowerAThs @tech813coach @Andy_Villamarzo pic.twitter.com/8Nebhq9XQI
— Canon Pickett 4🌟 OT (@CanonPickett) April 7, 2025
Pickett is a wanted player. Among those scholarship offers include Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, and Miami (FL). As of right now, Florida, Clemson, and Miami (FL) have official visits set up. The Hurricanes are also projected to land the talented lineman.
This recruitment is going to be an uphill battle for the Illini. Back in mid-February, Pickett narrowed the scope of his recruitment down to just 10 teams, and Illinois was not on that list. We are coming in a little late in the game as well.
Illinois football is seeing recruiting success in the state of Florida, so hopefully this has some impact on Canon Pickett
Even though Illinois is starting late in Pickett’s recruitment, there are a couple of things that make me think we could make up some ground.
The first is that we just landed Pickett’s teammate on Sunday. Illinois received a commitment from running back Javari Barnett from Tampa Bay Tech. Having him on board could help recruit Pickett.
Secondly, Illinois has done some good recruiting work in the state of Florida. Four out of the 11 commitments we have for 2026 are from the Sunshine State. Barnett, Kingston Shaw, Michael Clayton, and Kenyon Alston are all committed for next year.
Illinois could make some serious waves if we can land Pickett. This would show you the power of the Illini coaching staff and the resources behind this program.