It is tough to predict whether a recruit will be good, but Illinois football was able to land a familiar name on Wednesday.
The Illini have had some all-timers over the past few decades. These players don’t necessarily have to go to the NFL, but their impact on the program was felt dramatically.
Some of these players shared a name. In 2006, Illinois pulled in a four-star quarterback, Isiah Williams. We all know him as Juice. In 2019, another quarterback came into the program. This was Isaiah Williams. He would later turn into our best wide receiver.
On Wednesday, Hayes Fawcett of On3 broke the news that Illinois had received a commitment. Who picked the Illini?
Isaiah Williams.
BREAKING: Class of 2026 Safety Isaiah Williams has Committed to Illinois, he tells me for @on3recruits
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 18, 2025
The 6’0 190 S from Missouri City, TX chose the Fighting Illini over Utah
“Illini fans I’m home let’s work 💯”https://t.co/J2HEHexXHb pic.twitter.com/W2sTUDBubF
Illinois landed another Isaiah Williams, this time it is on the defensive side of the ball, as he is a safety. Williams had visited Oregon State the weekend of June 6. He then took in Champaign this past weekend. On Tuesday, Williams then announced that he was cancelling his visit to Utah.
This is a great get for the Illini. Williams is a 6-foot, 190-pound safety from Fort Bend Marshall High School in Texas. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 549 player in the class of 2026. He is also the No. 42 safety in the country and the No. 76 player coming out of Texas.
Illinois football has done wonders with an Isaiah or Isiah Williams on the roster
The first Williams, the quarterback we all call Juice, was special for the Illini. While his arm accuracy wasn’t the best in the world, he was a playmaker in the truest form. Juice helped lead Illinois to the Rose Bowl in 2008. He had some special moments, like throwing four touchdowns in an upset win over No. 1 Ohio State, too.
The second Williams, the one who went from quarterback to superstar wide receiver, made two bowl games with the Illini. Do you realize how talented you have to be to go from being a quarterback to then catching 1,055 yards and five touchdowns as a senior? Williams was a major reason why this program got on track and started to win in the 2020s.
So, Illinois has had an Isiah Williams that took us to a Rose Bowl. We had an Isaiah Williams who was in two bowl games and ushered in a golden era of Illinois football. Now, we have an Isaiah Williams who enters the program as a safety. What will his future hold?
The precedent is there for the newcomer to be special. He could blaze his own trail and try to take the title of the best Isaiah/Isiah Williams in the history of the Illinois football program. The future is so bright for the program and for this legendary name.