Illinois football keeps building on special class of 2026

The recruiting train keeps on rolling, as the Illinois football team has landed another talented player.

I was wondering if the recruiting momentum was going to dry up for the Illini. We got off to the hottest start I have seen in decades, so it was potentially coming.

That didn’t end up being the case, though. Bret Bielema and his coaching staff are still working the recruiting pipelines.

On Tuesday, Casey Thomann took to social media to announce that he too was committing to Illinois. This was another massive get, as Thomann was wanted by many.

Thomann is a 6-foot-7, 302-pound offensive tackle from East Richland High School in Illinois. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 491 player in the class of 2026. He is also the No. 41 offensive tackle in the country and the No. 12 player coming out of Illinois.

There were quite a few big programs vying for Thomann’s commitment. Some of the teams that caught my eye were Nebraska, Iowa State, and Iowa, to name a few. Illinois ended up winning out, though.

Illinois football continues building an area that is crucial for future winning

While a quarterback is the most important position on the field, I would argue a great quarterback will still struggle if the offensive line isn’t good. I saw it first hand with the Illini. When Luke Altmyer has time, he is great. However, the Illini offensive line has struggled quite often, and it shows at times.

Illinois landing a player like Thomann is big because it helps solidify the front lines. He is the highest-rated offensive lineman committed to the Orange and Blue for 2026. He joins Landen Von Seggern, who will likely play more on the interior offensive line.

I have confidence that Illinois’ offensive line will get much better in the coming years too. We used to recruit and land players who were in the top 2000. When we would pull in a top 1000 recruit, it would be an accomplishment.

Bielema has raised the level of recruiting for the Illini. Thomann is a top 500 recruit and Von Seggern is a top 700 player. These two are going to give a jolt to a big piece of the program.