What Illinois currently has going for the class of 2026 is pretty special, and no fan wants it to end anytime soon.
I can’t tell you the last time the Illini have had this much recruiting momentum. We had a few big moments in the late 2010s, but the ability for Bret Bielema to sustain the success has been unmatched.
Illinois currently has the No. 9 class for 2026, and we have 16 players committed. Keeping this type of recruiting going is going to be key for the Orange and Blue to keep competing at a high level nationally. That is why building a great class of 2027 is going to be crucial.
One of the big 2027 targets is in-state offensive lineman Cameron Wagner. This past Tuesday, Wagner took to social media to announce his visit plans for the next month or so. In the plans is a visit to Illinois on June 11. He will start his journey at Notre Dame on June 6, Texas A&M on June 8, Illinois on June 11, Penn State on June 13, Ohio State on June 17, Nebraska on June 19, and Florida on June 21.
Excited to get back to Illinois on June 11th! @Coach_BMiller @jon_proto @BarryLunneyJr @BretBielema @IlliniFootball @OJW_Scouting @On3sports @MohrRecruiting @nexgenscouting @EDGYTIM @AllenTrieu @Illiniprairie @HSFBscoutb@adamgorney @SWiltfong_@TomLoy247 @RivalsFriedman @rivals pic.twitter.com/s6VWSrROuD
— Cameron Wagner (@CameronW2027) May 20, 2025
Wagner is one of the elite players in the country. The 6-foot-6, 280-pound offensive tackle is from St. Joseph-Ogden High School in Illinois. He is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 124 player in the class of 2027. He is also the No. 13 offensive tackle in the country and the No. 7 player coming out of Illinois.
The Illini have a tough battle on their hands with the recruitment of Wagner. I have always felt that Notre Dame has made a huge push for him over the last year or so. Nebraska also landed the top quarterback in the state of Illinois, so that has to be appealing. Both programs have deep NIL pockets, too.
Cameron Wagner is one of many of the elite Illinois recruits for 2027
Landing Wagner would be huge for the Illinois football program. He is a great player who would be a game-changer up front. But he isn’t the only big-time player coming out of the state of Illinois for 2027.
Bielema already missed out on top quarterback Trae Taylor. We were in the running down to the end, but couldn’t close the deal. He is the No. 3 player in the state.
There are two massive five-star recruits coming out of the state of Illinois in 2027. Brock Williams is a tight end and is the top player in the state. He is also the No. 15 player in the country. Wide receiver Quentin Burrell is another top player. He is the second-best player in the state for 2027 and the No. 26 player in the country.
Landing either one of those two talented offensive stars would be huge for the Illini. The top nine players in the state of Illinois are all four or five-star recruits. Snagging a couple of those recruits would help keep that 2026 momentum going into 2027. But there is a long way to go. Let’s see how things start playing out.