When you're labeled as an "athlete" in your football recruiting profile, it's a sign that you can play on either side of the ball. For four-star ATH Nasir Rankin, it means a little bit more.
Rankin, who committed to the Fighting Illini on Wednesday, May 21, will do more than step onto the football field for Illinois and head coach Bret Bielema. The young athlete will also step onto the court for head coach Brad Underwood.
Illinois lands ATH Nasir Rankin who @247Sports has been high on for a while.
— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) May 21, 2025
Unique, multi-sport, multi-positional talent who @247Hudson says is a '10' on the impact scale of 1-10.
And we discuss where Illinois' is at after a two-commit day:https://t.co/xIQ4mbeqxO pic.twitter.com/W7MHLjr6mm
As a football prospect, Rankin played both wide receiver and defensive back for his high school team, earning notable snaps on both sides of the ball.
Nasir Rankin high school football stats
- 19 carries, 110 yards, 1 touchdown
- 40 receptions, 991 yards, 12 touchdowns
- 33 total tackles (17 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss
- 6 interceptions, 133 yards, 1 touchdown
- 6 pass deflections
- 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries
Rankin also played point and shooting guard throughout his high school tenure, playing football and basketball for Morgan Park High School in Chicago, IL.
court, field….. you pick🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/OuFe9ddQGr
— NASIR RANKIN (@The_Real_Nas1) September 12, 2024
Nasir Rankin high school basketball stats
- 23.2 points per game
- 3.3 rebounds per game
- 3.3 assists per game
- 2.6 steals per game
According to On3, Rankin was the No. 7 athlete out of the state of Illinois in the football class of 2026. He is listed as the No. 30 overall receiver and the No. 11 ATH in the country. Luckily for the Fighting Illini, the young prospect will be playing both sports for Illinois as well.
Rankin and fellow class of 2026 prospect King Liggins, a defensive lineman who is also from Chicago, both announced their official commitment to Illinois on May 21.