The Illinois Fighting Illini and head coach Bret Bielema hosted a slew of blue-chip prospects over the weekend, and as those players release photos from their trip to Champaign, people are getting excited about how they look in orange and blue.
One three-star prospect, EDGE Josh Christensen, stood out from the crowd, sharing a pre-visit hype video for the Illini and releasing four pictures from his official visit.
Why did he stand out among the rest? Well, to start, he has grown up just a couple of hours from the Oregon Ducks' home in Eugene, and secondly, he has garnered a lot of attention from teams across the Big Ten.
2027 Oregon 3⭐️ EDGE Josh Christensen has released photos from his official visit to Illinois.
— Luke Lowry (@LukeJLowry) April 13, 2026
Is Illinois the move? 👀@ChristensenJosh pic.twitter.com/JA17mJp8DF
However, with only four official visits scheduled and only the OV to Illinois under his belt, things are looking pretty good for Bielema landing Christensen instead of the other Big Ten programs in his ear.
Josh Christensen kicks off OVs with trip to Champaign
While Christensen just spent a weekend with the Fighting Illini, he has three other official visits lined up, including trips to see the Utah Utes, Washington State Cougars, and Northwestern Wildcats.
Josh Christensen OV schedule
- Illinois Fighting Illini - April 10, 2026
- Utah Utes - June 5, 2026
- Washington State Cougars - June 12, 2026
- Northwestern Wildcats - June 20, 2026
Northwestern isn't the only other Big Ten program trying to earn Christensen's affection, with the Washington Huskies also extending him an offer. The Ducks, Christensen's home-state team, have yet to send the three-star EDGE an offer, but their in-state rivals, the Oregon State Beavers, have.
Also read: Rising 2027 recruit eyes Illinois football as a “top school”
Now, it isn't quite time to get out over your skis, an official visit and a few photos are far from a guarantee that Christensen will be an Illini.
However, already having the OV to Champaign on his mind is exactly what Bielema and the Illinois program want, especially with nearly two months until he takes his next official visit.