Illinois has leveled-up after its Final Four run and recruiting targets are proof

As the football season begins, the thick of college basketball recruiting is upon us, and Illinois head coach Brad Underwood is going to stay very busy in the months leading up to the new season.

Underwood is already set to host three official visitors from the Class of 2027 in Champaign: two five-star and one four-star. This is the first time in the Underwood era that Illinois will host multiple five-star and four-star recruits for official visits, which also includes 2028 five-star combo guard Brady Pettigrew, who could reclassify to 2027.

With the Class of 2027 becoming very active on the recruiting trail, 247Sports has released its top 30 players in the class, and all three Illinois visitors landed in prime spots. Five-star combo guard NaVarro Bowman Jr. is No. 11, followed closely by center Darius Wabbington at No. 12, and then four-star small forward Moussa Kamissoko is far behind at No. 19.

This list speaks to the talent that Underwood is seeking for future recruiting classes, especially with the momentum Illinois basketball has after a Final Four run last season. Underwood is working to make Illinois one of the top programs in the country, and it all starts on the recruiting trail.

Illinois' 2027 recruiting class has the chance to be one of the best in program history

It is crazy the wonders that a Final Four run, and then returning nearly the entire roster, can do for a basketball program, and Illinois is currently reaping those benefits. The Illini, in a sense, were the darling team of the NCAA Tournament last season with their Final Four run, even ranked as high as a 3-seed.

Illinois was the lowest seed in the Final Four, followed by 2-seed UConn and 1-seeds Michigan and Arizona. Underwood and his squad trucked through the South Region with big wins over 11-seed VCU, 2-seed Houston, and 9-seed Iowa, who took out the reigning champ Florida Gators. Illinois surprised many people, and now Underwood is riding that momentum in the offseason.

With four official visits set, Illinois is hoping for a future of continued success that ends with the team cutting the nets down after a championship win. Already, the Illini have the No. 5 recruiting class in the country with two commits from four-stars Quinton Kitt and Mason Martin.

Underwood could make a push for the top spot if he lands even one of his five-star visitors in the fall, or any other of the 26 offers Illinois has handed out. With multiple five-star offers at each position, Underwood is setting up Illinois to be one of the top recruiting programs in the country, and he could secure the best recruiting class the Illini have ever seen.

There are still a lot of unknowns and what-ifs when it comes to recruiting for Illinois, but with the direction that Underwood is taking this program, it feels like great things are on the horizon.

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