Big-time 2025 defensive lineman picks Illinois football over Kansas, Kansas State

Keeping players in-state is something Bret Bielema wanted to do, and he was able to land a solid in-state recruit this weekend for the Illinois football program.

Davion Chandler was the first domino to drop on Sunday. He committed to the Illini, and the talented top 800 wide receiver is going to be a huge asset to the program in the near future.

Just shortly after Chandler’s commitment, Illinois received another big pledge. On Sunday night, Cameron Brooks took to social media to announce that he too was committing to Illinois.

Brooks is a 6-foot-3, 240-pound defensive lineman from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Illinois. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 1018 player in the class of 2025. He is also the No. 93 defensive lineman in the country and the No. 26 player coming out of the state of Illinois.

Illinois football has plucked some key in-state recruits from the class of 2025, and we are continuing to build depth

As mentioned earlier, Bielema had a focus on keeping in-state talent home. He wanted to retain the talent in our backyard, and that has paid some dividends for the class of 2025.

Brayden Trimble is a big get for the Illini. He is the No. 11 player in the state of Illinois and a top 500 recruit nationally. He is going to be able to help our offense tremendously.

Illinois was also able to land Michael McDonough for the offensive line. He is the No. 20 player in the state of Illinois and a top 800 player nationally.

On the defensive side of the ball, Bielema secured the commitment of Andre Lovett. The top 700 talent is going to suit up in the Illinois secondary, and I believe he has a chance to see snaps early on in his career. Lovett is the No. 18 player in the state of Illinois.

Depth is being built from the Illinois class of 2025 as well. An in-state commitment like the one from Brooks will go a long way in helping the program win. Illinois has been able to do wonders with the defensive line, and Brooks is a building block for future greatness.