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By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting 

April 28, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Ty Perkins' Twitter page)

Illinois is looking to add more quality depth to its wide-receiver department. Ty Perkins is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound wide receiver from Lucasville, Ohio, who visited Illinois recently. IlliniGuys.com caught up with Perkins to get an update on his visit and recruitment. 

Right away this visit appeared to have gone much better than Perkins thought would happen.

"My visit...was amazing! My family and I had a great time in Champaign. It was so much better than my original expectations for it," Perkins said.

But it was so much more than that; the excitement from Perkins and his views on Illinois is trending upward. It is safe to say a lot of potential football recruits just have not paid much attention to what Illinois has to offer.

By Zain Bando - IlliniGuys Student Correspondent April 28, […]

Illinois forward Coleman Hawkins says he hasn’t yet had his final season-ending meeting with Illini head coach Brad Underwood and gives a non-committal answer on his future with the program. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

April 27, 2022

CHAMPAIGN -- By every definition of the word, miscommunication currently exists between Coleman Hawkins and the Illinois coaching staff. 

In his first media availability since the end of the 2021-22 season, Hawkins conveyed a different picture about the clarity to his future with the Illini program than the one portrayed by Brad Underwood - the program’s fifth-year head coach. 

Hawkins, who just finished his second season at Illinois and averaged 5.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14 starts and 33 games, said Wednesday he has yet to have his exit interview with the Illini coaching staff about his future role as a upperclassman on this team. 

“I’ve talked to them a little bit but things have been, it’s kind of been hard to communicate in a way,” Hawkins said Wednesday. “I haven’t seen them that much. I’ve been with (strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher) a lot but we haven’t had a true exit meeting so hopefully that will come soon so we can figure whatever the future is out.”

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting 

April 27, 2022

The rankings for the class of 2024 are right around the corner, but one thing you can be sure of - Illinois will have two of the nation's top 50 in the class:  Morez Johnson and now ZZ Clark, who recently committed to the Illini.

I talked to ZZ while he was in Champaign last week.

"This is a great feeling for me; words can't explain how I feel right now. I just committed to the University of Illinois. I'm with my family right now, my brother Skyy is on his official visit, but for me, this an unofficial. But I get to see how it's all done," said Clark.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

April 26, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Prep Hoops)

Photo courtesy Quad City Times

Quad City high school basketball fans have bragged about the talent level in the area for years. So many times that if there was a major Division I prospect, it was certain that they would end up at Iowa, Iowa State or UNI. Especially if they played football.

The last two great Rock Island Rocks who had a chance to play for the Illini went elsewhere. Brea Beal, a consensus high school All-American, picked South Carolina, where she just won a national title.  At the time of her decision, Beal said, "Illinois was my second choice; they did a great job of recruiting me, and it's my home state."

Chasson Randle, who was Mr. Basketball in the state of Illinois, picked Stanford over his favorite team growing up, the Fighting Illini. Randle finished his college career as the all-time leading scorer in Cardinal history with 2,375 points. Randle did not have a great visit to Champaign which sent him to Stanford.

Now comes Amarion Nimmers, an outstanding 6-foot-3, 170-pound guard who plays for the Rocks. The soon-to-be Class of 2022 graduate played his AAU basketball for the Illinois Wolves and is just now making it on the scene with all the top programs.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

April 26, 2022

Quarterback Belay Brummel has recently picked up some big-time interest from this state university.

With many of the state of Illinois' top prospects now committing to the Illini, that culture head coach Bret Bielema talked about is starting to form, just like he had hoped.

Brummel is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound class of 2023 signal caller who has an interest in Illinois.

"Haven’t received an offer yet. They’ve brought it up in conversation very frequently, but I believe they would like to watch me throw a little more before offering. That's the feeling I got on my unofficial (earlier this month)," Brummel said.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

April 22, 2022

Courtney Ramey, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound point guard from Webster Groves, Missouri who played his collegiate basketball for the Texas Longhorns, entered the transfer portal a couple of weeks ago.

Illinois jumped on the Ramey train early along with several other schools: UConn, Missouri, Marquette, Kentucky, Villanova, DePaul, Maryland, Gonzaga, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, and Wisconsin.

According to IlliniGuys.Com insider Brad Sturdy, Illinois is still in play with Ramey when it appeared the ship might have sailed.

April 25, 2022

IlliniGuys.com's Brad Sturdy spent the weekend watching Illinois prospects at the EYBL event in Indianapolis.  The entire Illini coaching staff was in Nap City as well, pursuing the talent and even handing out some new offers to kids in the class of 2023,

Upon his return home Sunday night, Sturdy opened up for questions from IlliniGuys members and the following is the exchange.  Sturdy also adds some additional notes from the weekend.  What Illinois coaches think about transfer center and Kofi Cockburn replacement Dain Dainja and what makes the Illini's class of 2022 commits so special and unique?

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

Apil 18, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Vanderbilt Athletics)

The Fighting Illini added some size and experience to the defense line when Vanderbilt defensive tackle Rashaan Wilkins, Jr. decided to come to Champaign.  Wilkins was a two-year starter at Vanderbilt and figured to remain the starter at the SEC school but decided to enter the transfer portal when Vanderbilt made a coaching change.

Wilkins has taken a very unlikely route from Chicago to Champaign.  He started high school at Mt. Carmel in Chicago as a 6'2, 180 pound wide receiver.  He grew to 6'3, 240 pounds and excelled at both outside linebacker and tight end, but only showed enough to earn Division III offers coming out of high school.  Wilkins took the offer from nearby Wisconsin-Stevens Point.  Wilkins played two games at tight end and caught two passes, but injured his ankle and decided to save that year of eligibility and transfer to Monterey Peninsula Junior College in California.  Wilkins excelled at Monterey and ate his way to a sturdy 300 pounds. That brought the attention of several Division I programs and Wilkins selected Vanderbilt.  Wilkins earned steady playing time in his two years at Vanderbilt but decided to finish his career closer to home in Champaign, and Illinois is quite fortunate that he did.

April 24, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy ID Prospects)

IlliniGuys' Brad Sturdy is watching it all at the EYBL this weekend in Indianapolis.  He posted this on the IlliniGuys.com message forums late last night with more nuggets to come later today:

I was able to watch Meanstreets 16U (2024) squad twice today, they are playing up at 17U. Some thoughts. Illinois was the only school to watch them.

Illinois is swept at home in its Saturday doubleheader […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

April 23, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy The Depaulia)

David Jones, a 6-foot-6, 195-pound small forward from Scott Depot, West Virginia, is a sophomore  many Illinois fans will remember. The Illini went toe-to-toe with DePaul for Jones two years ago. But at the end, he wanted to be a Blue Demon.

Now Jones is in the NCAA transfer portal, one of more than 1,400 players looking for a better situation elsewhere. And Illinois is in the mix.

Jones is considered one of the top players in the portal.  This southpaw does not look as though he is going hard because of his demeanor, but Jones is a great athlete and very effective. 

Against Georgetown in February, Jones recorded the first-triple double in DePaul history. He had 22 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. He is another player who can score on all three levels and the kind of athlete the Illinois coaching staff is collecting.

Illinois bullpen gives us seven earned runs over final […]

Illinois picks up its first post-spring game verbal commitment with former junior college and FCS cornerback Terrell Jennings. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

April 23, 2022

CHAMPAIGN -- The journey for Terrell Jennings began as a nationally ranked rugby player and will likely end in a Illinois football jersey.

Jennings, who has gone from junior college in California to Football Championship Subdivision programs University of North Dakota and Minnesota State University, committed Friday morning to the Illini program as an instantly eligible graduate transfer for the upcoming 2022 season. 

Jennings, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound defensive back, is expected to immediately add to the Illini’s cornerback depth that will also include projected starters Devon Witherspoon and Tahveon Nicholson and battle with redshirt freshmen Tyler Strain and D.D. Snyder for depth positions or could challenge for the nickel cornerback spot when he arrives back in Champaign in July. 

In a phone interview Friday evening with IlliniGuys.com, Jennings confirmed he was on the Memorial Stadium sidelines during the Orange-Blue spring game and elected before he left two to end his recruitment after entering the portal less than two weeks ago. 

Illinois moves into a tie of first place in […]