Illinois football had a great day on the recruiting front, landing some key pieces for 2026.
This past weekend was another busy time for the Illini. Numerous recruits visited the program on an official visit, and now we have a commitment from the visiting players.
On Tuesday afternoon, Kayden Bennett took to social media to announce he has committed to Illinois. He picked the Orange and Blue over teams like Temple and UConn, among others.
Bennett is a 6-foot-2, 245-pound edge from Suffield Academy in Connecticut. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 467 player in the class of 2026. He is also the No. 45 edge in the country and the No. 3 player coming out of Connecticut.
The post by Bennett was short and simple, “100% committed.”
100% committed @BretBielema @alexpanosFB @CoachHarris_33 @SupremeAthlete_ @BrianDohn247 @RivalsFriedman pic.twitter.com/NVOGm3FESf
— Kayden Bennett (@Kayden_Bennettt) June 17, 2025
The East Coast has not been a friendly area to the Illinois football team in recent years
Snagging Bennett was big, as he is now the third-highest rated recruit Illinois has landed, according to 247Sports Composite rankings. I am intrigued by the location of Bennett as well.
The last time Illinois was able to recruit well on the East Coast was back in the Ron Zook era. He pulled some great talent out of the Washington D.C. and surrounding areas. Illinois has been pretty nonexistent since then, though.
Under Bret Bielema, the Illini have started to dabble in East Coast recruiting. 2025 running back John Forester is from New Jersey. 2024 offensive lineman Zafir Stewart is from Philadelphia. Before Stewart, it was Saboor Karriem coming out of New Jersey in 2023.
It is a slow drip, but Illinois has so many irons in the fire. We turn over every rock to make sure that we can land the right recruits. Bennett is a big get for the program and one that will pay dividends down the road.