Zeno Jo, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

April 13, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – On Monday, it was reported that Class of 2027 quarterback Kamden Lopati had decommitted from Illinois. Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett was the first to report the news.

Lopati had been committed to Illinois since last July, but interest in him has swelled ever since. Impressive performances, which have seen him tally over 5,000 yards and nearly 60 touchdowns across the past two seasons, have seen him rise to one of the top quarterbacks of his class. While the West Valley City, Utah, native was once a player that the Illini beat everyone to the punch on, he quickly became a player that the staff had to protect and work to keep.

Illinois initially beat out Oregon, Washington, Arizona State, and Purdue to bring on Lopati, but he’s received several more high-profile offers in the past few months. Tennessee, Notre Dame, Michigan, Florida, and Georgia, all offered him. Notre Dame, as he shared, was Lopati’s dream school.

“Been hearing several million different things… anything specific?” Bielema said on X in response to reports of Lopati’s multi-day visit to the Wolverines.

Lopati spoke with IlliniGuys’ Zeno Jo during the program’s Junior Day in January, hosted on-campus alongside several other recruits and commits in the 2027 class.

“I’m locked in with Illinois,” he said. “I respect all of the other people that have tried to recruit me, but Illinois is home.”

Illinois’ recruiting efforts were spearheaded by quarterbacks coach Art Sitkowski and offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., who signed an extension to become the highest-paid assistant in program history last month. Lopati spoke highly of Sitkowski, who has been credited with the development of Luke Altmyer during the Ole Miss transfer’s three years in Champaign.

“He’s basically a part of the family,” he said when asked to describe their relationship. “That’s how it is. He’s one of the big reasons I did choose to commit.”

In January, Lopati said that, at Illinois, his intention is “doing that, but even more. Winning a Big Ten championship and a national championship.”

With Eastern Carolina transfer Katin Houser set to complete his one-year stint in Champaign this fall, the quarterback reigns at Illinois for the first drive of 2027 is unclear. Incoming freshman Michael Clayton II and redshirt freshmen Carson Boyd and Jershaun Newton are the only other quarterbacks listed on the squad’s roster as of today.

Follow me on X/Twitter at: @jenozenojeno