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Massive 2026 4-star recruit keeps Illinois football in top 4

Illinois football is getting closer to landing one of the best players in the class of 2026.
ByRees Woodcock|
Dunlap's Mack Sutter comes off the field after an Eagles touchdown against Washington late in the second half of their Week 7 high school football game Friday, Oct. 11, 2024 at Babcook Field in Washington. The Panthers defeated the Eagles 31-10.
Dunlap's Mack Sutter comes off the field after an Eagles touchdown against Washington late in the second half of their Week 7 high school football game Friday, Oct. 11, 2024 at Babcook Field in Washington. The Panthers defeated the Eagles 31-10. | MATT DAYHOFF/JOURNAL STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It is an intense time of year, as the Illinois football team is constantly trying to land players who will help the program in the future.

This has been a pretty solid week for the Illini. Two players were added to the class of 2026, which now stands with 18 pledges and a national recruiting ranking of No. 12 in the country.

There are still plenty of scholarships to claim for the Orange and Blue, and one of the biggest targets left on the board is Mack Sutter.

On Wednesday morning, Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith posted on social media that Sutter decided to cut his list down to just four teams. The four programs vying for his commitment include Ole Miss, Alabama, Ohio State, and Illinois.

Included in the post are some interesting facts. Sutter was supposed to take an official visit to Penn State last weekend, but that was canceled. He will take an official visit to Alabama starting June 20. But before that visit, Sutter is slated to be in Champaign for a camp with his brother, according to Smith.

This would be a massive get for the Illini. Sutter is a 6-foot-5, 230-pound tight end from Dunlap High School in Illinois. He is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 80 player in the class of 2026. He is also the No. 6 tight end in the country and the best player coming out of Illinois.

Historically, Illinois football tends to be left on the doorstep with recruitments like Mack Sutter

It is exciting that Illinois is in the top four for such a great player. There is a thought that continuously pops into my head, though. Throughout the past decade or so, the Illini have been able to make top four or top six lists, but in the end, the recruit tends to go to the traditional powerhouse.

This time feels a little different. While the result might end up being the same, it feels like Illinois has a legitimate chance to pull off the upset.

I think having Sutter visiting for a camp right before the Alabama visit is huge. This gives Illinois one more chance to give him a pitch. Honestly, whatever resources we have, they need to be put into Sutter that day. I would argue that whatever we can do to get him to cancel the Alabama visit, we do it. Illinois has been able to work some magic on the recruiting trail, so why not add Sutter to that list?

In addition to that, Bret Bielema has already landed an in-state four-star recruit who ranks inside the top 90 in the country. Nasir Rankin is pledged to the Illini, and he is a big-time wide receiver who is the No. 84 player in the class of 2026. So, the proof is there that we can land huge in-state recruits.

Let’s see how the Sutter recruitment ends. The upcoming week is going to be massive in the decision. If Bielema pulls this off, he will be a legend.

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