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Greetings from “Can’t Wait For Saturday,” your morning morsel of college football, courtesy of longtime Illini beat writer, AP Top 25 voter and Heisman state rep Bob Asmussen. He’ll give you his views each day on the game he loves.
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Happy Fourth football fans. Always reminds me of the time I got accused of destroying a toilet in the dorms with an M-80. For once, I didn’t do it. Still my bag of fireworks was properly confiscated, likely saving me from losing a hand. Ahh, those were not the days.
But these are the days — potentially — for the explosive 2026 Illinois football recruiting class.
Years of groundwork have paid off for Bret Bielema’s team, which has one of te top groups at Illinois in the past two decades.
Some near misses — the state’s top two tight ends are SEC-bound — took away a bit of luster. But the class remains one of the best in the Big Ten and the nation.
ESPN’s Craig Haubert has updated his Class of ’26 national Top 25. Illinois is on the list like it was in the earlier model, but has dropped from No. 11 to No. 16.
That is fifth among Big Ten schools, behind No.1 Southern California, No. 5 Ohio State, No. 7 Michigan and No. 11 Penn State. Good company and ahead of 13 other league teams.
The author ranked Chicago Morgan Park athlete Rankin the best offensive prospect in the class and end Kayden Bennett as the top defender.
About the Illinois class, Haubert wrote: “Good recruiting starts at home and an early priority for the Illini was in-state athlete Rankin. A two-sport star who also excels o the hardwood, the ESPN 300 prospect projects to wide receiver, where he can be a playmaker with good hands the ability to…
Source link : https://www.news-gazette.com/opinion/cant-wait-for-saturday-espn-expert-still-likes-illinois-class-just-not-as-much/article_7862665d-46ac-4a23-8edc-119ce7dba8b2.html
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Publish date : 2025-07-04 14:47:00
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