The state of Illinois is always a hotbed for football recruits, and the Orange and Blue are after numerous big names.
A major concern for the Illini moving forward is the defensive secondary. We had some good talent, but the defense struggled at times in 2025. Miles Scott is also heading to the NFL, which is a big loss.
A good addition who would help the secondary would be Jabarri Lofton. On Tuesday, Lofton took to social media to announce that he has set up an official visit to Champaign. He will be taking that visit April 10-12.
Lofton would be a great get for Illinois. He is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound safety from East St. Louis, Illinois. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 640 player in the class of 2027. Lofton is also the No. 64 safety in the country and the No. 21 player coming out of Illinois.
Come on Champaign Official Visit locked in @IlliniFootball @Recruit2Illini @TerryHawthorne1 @BretBielema @DarrenSunkett @CochBG4 @hamitchom @CoachTDismukes @coachnellyy pic.twitter.com/Vf9C8VX5X1
— Jabarri Lofton (@BarriLofton_) February 24, 2026
With roughly 16 scholarship offers on the table right now, Lofton has set up more than just a visit to Illinois. He is also heading to Purdue on May 29, Missouri on June 5, and Kansas State on June 12.
Illinois football needs to make some type of impact on the in-state recruiting scene for 2027
Since Bret Bielema entered the picture, Illinois has been a little better when it comes to recruiting in-state players. He has focused on that, and it has improved a little bit.
But there is an insane amount of talent coming out of the class of 2027. The state of Illinois currently has five top 100 recruits for 2027. It also boasts 11 top 250 recruits in the country.
There are numerous Illini targets in that mix. The fact that Lofton is a top 700 recruit and is the No. 21 player in the state is mind-boggling. Illinois needs to land this kid and build the class of 2027 into a strong unit. Let’s start winning more in-state recruiting battles.