Illinois football just landed one of its top rated recruits in seasons.
And Illinois basketball will even get a slice.
Four-star football recruit Nasar Rankin will be joining both the football and basketball program in 2026.
He’s from Chicago and went to Morgan Park High School — Ayo Dosunmu’s alma mater.
In football, he could play defensive back or wide receiver — similar to Colorado’s Heisman Winner Travis Hunter. Rankin also had offers from Nebraska, USC and North Carolina.
In basketball, he’s a 6’1, and 175 pound point guard. According to 247 Sports, he didn’t have a star-rating. His other offers included Northern Illinois and Eastern Illinois.
Still, landing a top recruit can energize an already excited football and basketball program.
After landing Rankin, Illinois now has the 8th best recruiting class in America, according to 247 Sports.
I can’t overstate how good that is. Last season, Illinois’ class ranked 45th, and for a decade, hovered around there.
After a 10-win season, Illinois’ brand has shot up with high school recruits. They’ve already signed another four-star from Ohio, linebacker Cam Thomas.
And Illinois is still recruiting four-star tight ends JC Anderson of Mount Zion and Mack Sutter of Dunlap heavily. If they land one or both, Illinois’ recruiting ranking will shoot up even higher.