The month of June was always going to be big for the Illinois football program, but recent recruiting developments have increased the intensity.
As of right now, the Illini have the No. 62 class in the country for 2027. The lead dog among the group is four-star Justin Johnson. He should be anchoring the defense in the future.
Illinois has already had a big round of official visits last weekend that resulted in four commitments. On Friday, things are about to get cranked up a notch with another talented group coming in.
One of the players in this group is Bennett Konkey. He is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound wide receiver from Geneva High School in Illinois.
Can’t wait for my OV to @IlliniFootball this weekend‼️@GenevaVikingsFB @EDGYTIM @AllenTrieu @coachjstepp @CoachChris_Roll @Rivals @On3 @CoachHo pic.twitter.com/VXZ1C2gAMW
— Bennett Konkey (@BennettKonkey) June 11, 2026
Coming into the month of June, Konkey was a solid recruit, registering as a three-star who was the No. 693 player in the class of 2027. Well, on Wednesday, 247Sports went through and updated their 2027 rankings.
With the update, Illinois’ official visit weekend just got a little bigger. Konkey went from a three-star who is the No. 693 player in the country to a four-star and the No. 238 player in his recruiting class.
This massive jump in recruiting ranking doesn’t come as a huge surprise. Konkey had a big junior year, finishing with 739 yards and nine touchdowns in just nine games on the field.
Konkey’s recruitment has stood out, too. He has big-time offers from programs like Iowa, Wisconsin, and Iowa State, among others.
Bennett Konkey is exactly what Illinois football needs, and we are familiar with his style of play
I believe Konkey has the chance to be a really good player. Illinois can compete with the programs that are vying for his commitment, too.
Financially, the Illini can keep up with Northwestern, Iowa, Iowa State, and Wisconsin. The big one that worries me the most is Indiana. The Hoosiers have a war chest. If they want a player, they can back up the Brinks truck.
With that being said, I think Illinois can get the most out of Konkey. We have had experience with his style of player, and we have sent that player to the NFL.
Konkey isn’t going to take the top off a defense. That isn’t his style. He is someone who can run routes so well that he will get himself open. Konkey’s route-running is what jumps off the page most about him.
The Illinois player that he reminds me of a lot is Pat Bryant. A really smart wide receiver with great route running, but he isn’t the fastest player in the world. He will be a great possession receiver and will make a lot of money with his talent.
My hope is that Illinois can wow Konkey this weekend. It would be nice to get a commitment out of him and not let the newly minted four-star get to Bloomington for a visit with Indiana.
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