National Signing Day is here, with the early signing period running December 20-22. Mid-year junior college transfers can sign through January 15.
Illinois is set to roll out it's 2024 recruiting class that includes 16 high school signees and 3 junior college prospects.
Illinois head coach will hold a press conference to announce the signing class at 1 p.m. CT and appear live on Big Ten Network at 2:30 p.m. CT.
Orange and Blue News breaks down each signee in the class and what they will bring to the field for the Fighting Illini next fall.
Heading into NSD, the Illini class ranks No. 41 in the nation and No.10 in the Big Ten.
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ILLINOIS: Signing class | Ranking the Illini recruits | National signing day preview | Watch Bret Bielema press conference | Projected 2024 depth chart
NSD: Announcement guide | Fitz and Gorney preview National Signing Day | Prospects on flip watch
NSD PREVIEWS: Roundtable | ACC | SEC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12
TEAM RECRUITING RANKINGS: ACC | BIG TEN | BIG 12 | PAC-12 | SEC | OVERALL
CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals100
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2024 SIGNING CLASS
Offensive lineman Andrew Dennis committed to Illinois in November from a final three that included Miami and Penn State. A former Michigan State commit, he racked up a long list of Power 5 offers. Rivals ranks him at the No. 149 prospect overall and the No. 4 offensive guard.
Natural strength / power and aggressiveness are the name of the game with Dennis. He looks to have added some bulk as a senior and can dominate defensive linemen at the high school level. He's particularly well put together in the lower body. He has the ability to stun the defender. Dennis has excellent body control and the ability to re-direct defensive linemen.
Dennis will enroll at Illinois early for the spring semester.
QUOTE: "It feels great to be a part of an already great class. Getting to spend time with the guys really helped me with the decision. Along with being able to talk ball with coach (Bart) Miller and coach (Bret) Bielema. Coach B has a plan and the 2024 class is excited to help expand the horizons and build the expectations. We are here to win." - OL Andrew Dennis.
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Defensive end Eddie Tuerk committed to Illinois in mid-June following an official visit, choosing the Illini over offers from Iowa, Kansas State, Michigan, Miami, Nebraska, Tennessee, and others. His recruitment ultimately came down to a decision between Illinois and rivals Northwestern.
Tuerk played both sides of the ball Lyons Township. The Illini began recruited him to play either DL or OL with both offensive line coach Bart Miller and defensive line coach Terrance Jamison heavily involved in his recruitment. He's not locked in on a specific position yet, but it is trending towards offensive line.
Tuerk will enroll at Illinois early for the spring semester.
QUOTE: "I just had this gut feeling that Illinois was the place for me. I just had such a strong bond with the players and other commits and recruits and all the coaches. Everyone was great, just they have been ever since they started recruiting me. I really bonded well with all the coaches. Of course, I have developed a great relationship with Coach Miller, Coach Jamison, Coach Henry, and Coach B, but it’s just the entire staff." - DE Eddie Tuerk
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Former listed as an athlete by Rivals, Tysean Griffin now checks in at the No. 68 wide receiver in the nation. He committed to Illinois back in June from an offer list that included Arkansas, Cincinnati, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisville, Michigan State, Mizzou, Wisconsin, and numerous others.
Griffin was aa two-way player at Morgan Park. He may have made an bigger impact at cornerback than he did at receiver. He caught just 10 passes for 123 yards and 3 touchdowns in eight games.
Griffin will enroll at Illinois early for the spring semester.
QUOTE: "The biggest reasons I’m picking Illinois is because it felt like that was the college that really believed in me to do great in life on and off the field They plan to use me as another Isaiah (Williams) on their team. They think I have a similar skill set as him. I’m very excited because they also showed me our clips together and we play alike.” - WR Tysean Griffin.
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Landing four-star running Cal'lil Valentine was a major coup for Illinois, adding a playmaker at a need position. He made the choice in July from a top 8 of Auburn, Oregon, Utah, Penn State, Illinois, Michigan State, Oregon State and Miami. He should be an early impact player for the Illini.
Valentine is coming off a very successful senior season, when he carried the ball 203 times for 1,332 yards and 19 touchdowns, while also recording 31 catches for 358 yards and one TD. He gives Illinois a quick-twitch runner with big play capability to compliment power back Kaden Feagin.
MORE: Four-star running back Ca'lil Valentine ready to sign with Illinois
QUOTE: "I feel like I made the best decision for me to this day, and I’m very excited to finally sign the paperwork. I can’t wait to get down there and put the work in. I love my relationship a lot with the coaches. Coach Ward is just a great dude outside of football. l love to be around him, and I can’t wait to be coached by him. I think we are in the process of building something special here. I want to play, so my first goal is to just get on the field, and then we’ll go from there." - RB Ca'Lil Valentine
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Illinois offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach Barry Lunney Jr. targeted three-star quarterback Trey Petty early on and picked up his commitment in early May. Petty garnered heavy attention from in-state schools Ole Miss and Mississippi State, but he stood by his commitment to the Fighting Illini.
During the regular season, Petty threw for 1,766 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions, while also adding 728 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. This earned him the recognition of Mississippi's 7A 2023 MHSAA Mr. Football Award. He's a dynamic athlete who can make plays on the move with arm or his feet.
Petty will enroll at Illinois early for the spring semester.
MORE: Three-star quarterback Trey Petty ready to sign with Illinois
QUOTE: "I trust the Illinois staff and think they make the right decisions for their players by putting them in the right positions to succeed. I believe I will have a great opportunity for me at Illinois, whether that be next year or in a few seasons. And they kept it real with me from the start, so I was going to keep my commitment real to them. That made it easy for me to stick with them.” - QB Trey Petty.
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Illinois landed a future starter and potential standout in defensive lineman Demetrius John from Dublin (Ohio) Coffman. He committed to the Illini in June following an official visit, choosing Illinois over offers from Boston College, West Virginia, Indiana, and others.
With excellent upside, John is one of the most underrated players in the Illini class. While John is still at a somewhat raw stage of his development, you can see flashes of greatness on his film. He is explosive off the ball has a great motor and moves very well at his size. John may not be the highest rated Illinois commit, but one could argue he has one of the highest ceilings of the group.
John will enroll at Illinois early for the spring semester.
QUOTE: "It’s because of the great staff and what I’ve seen first hand they can do to develop me into a great young man. We spent plenty of time with Coach Jamison and really enjoyed his breakdown of what the game takes. I really like his coaching style and could definitely see it. I know he knows how to develop guys into great players."
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Offensive lineman Zafir Stewart from IMOTEP Prep in Philadelphia is another prospect who committed to Illinois following an official visit in June. Illinois won a recruiting battle over Penn State and Rutgers to nab Stewart, and he also held offers from Boston College, Maryland, Ole MIss, Nebraska, Pitt, and West Virginia.
Stewart is big-bodied linemen who can play multiple positions. He's a wide-body and road grader who moves fairly well for his size. At 6-foot-5 with a long reach, Stewart lined up at left tackle in high school. He may be more suited to play guard at the next level.
QUOTE: "They showed me a lot of love. I had a lot of fun. Got to connect with the players on the team. I made a real good connection with them and also a good connection with the coaches." They were all like a family. We had a lot of great conversations (with OL coach Bart Miler.). We talked football, and we talked life. They all made me feel like I was wanted there and I fit in their system." - OL Zafir Stewart
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Carolos Orr from Gatlinburg (Tenn.) Pittman is a lengthy outside receiver similar to current Illini Pat Bryant. He committed to Illinois in June. At that time, the Illini were his only Power 5 offer. He was getting heavy interest Northwestern, Virginia Tech, Memphis, and Cincinnati.
This season as a senior, Orr helped lead Pittman to an 11-2 record, grabbing 46 receptions for 730 yards and 11 touchdowns. The previous year as a junior he recorded 1,035 yards receiving and nine touchdowns on 55 receptions. Orr's best asset is his length. At 6-foot-4 with long arms, he can go up and get the ball in traffic against shorter DB's, and he should be a threat in the red zone and on third down.
QUOTE: "They are the first Power Five school to take a chance on me and believe that I can play on that level I want to find a place that feels like home and has a true family type atmosphere You can tell (WR coach George McDonald) is a guy that cares about his players on a personal level, but is also doing his best to develop them to their highest potential on the field."
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COMMITMENT STORY | FILM ROOM
Following an official visit in June, Illinois flipped three-star cornerback Vernon Woodward from his previous commitment to Wisconsin. The Florida product also held offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Indiana, Oregon State, Purdue, South Florida, UCF, West Virginia, and others.
Woodward's most productive year was as a junior in 2022 when he recorded 57 total tackles, two pass breakups and three forced fumbles. He's a physical defender and big hitter who could line up at boundary corner, strong safety, or nickel for the Illini. Woodard said the Illini staff compared him to former Illini and current Washington Commander Quan Martin.
Woodward will enroll at Illinois early for the spring semester.
QUOTE: "We watched my film, and what stands out is me coming downhill and hitting. The coaches also saw how disciplined of a DB I am. If you watch my film, I have great eyes, great feet, smooth pedal. They compared me to (Martin) on being versatile, playing nickel, corner, and safety."
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Vero Beach (Fla.) cornerback Amar Reynolds chose Illinois in June over and offer from Indiana and several Group of 5 schools. A two-way player, Reynolds lined up cornerback, safety, and wide receiver in high school. He's a developmental player for CB's coach Antonio Fenelus.
Reynolds had three interceptions this past season and helped to lead Vero Beach to a 9-3 record. Though still raw and needing to add muscle to his wiry frame, Reynolds is a natural defender who thinks on this feet and aggressively makes plays, whether it’s chasing down a ball carrier or closing on a receiver and knocking down catchable throws.
QUOTE: "They have a versatile defense, and that's going to help me get to the next level. The weight room is going to get me right. The fans are going to see a lot of explosive plays," Reynolds said. "I'm going to get the ball back for the offense."- CB Amar Reynolds.
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Illinois added a commitment from edge rusher Josiah Knight in August. Previously committed to Cincinnati, Knight chose Illinois over Power 5 offers from Arkansas, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Missouri, Purdue, and Vanderbilt. He took official visits to Illinois and Georgia Tech prior to making his final decision.
In four seasons as a varsity starter Gadsen Country, Knight recorded 183 total tackles, 44 tackles for loss, and 17 sacks. This past season he had 36 tackles, 16 TFL's, and 3 sacks. Knight has that unique combination of size, length, speed, and physicality that coaches look for in an edge rusher. He fits that mold well and will bring another plus athlete to the Illini outside linebacker room.
Knight will enroll at Illinois early for the spring semester.
JUCO wide receiver Mario Sanders Iowa Central C.C. was selected first team NJCAA All-American after recording 72 catches for 942 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns. He led all NJCAA receivers in receptions. Illinois picked up his commitment last month following a campus visit.
Sanders played one season at Iowa Central and will have three years of eligibility at Illinois. He will play slot receiver at Illinois. Exceptionally quick feet is what jumps out the most on Sanders' film. He has an excellent release, creates space, and has the ability to come out of his break with burst and acceleration.
Sanders is a mid-year transfer and will enroll at Illinois for the spring semester.
Outside linebacker Daniel Brown was selected first team NJCAA All-American after putting up huge numbers at Kansas JUCO power Hutchinson C.C. Brown recorded 51 total tackles, 18 sacks, and 23 tackles for loss playing outside linebacker and defense end.
Illinois is bringing Brown to immediately add juice to its outside pass rush. At just 6-foot-1, we believe he could potentially play one weak-side linebacker. Either way, expect Brown to see the field early and often next fall. He could be the most impactful player that Illinois signs on Wednesday.
Brown is a mid-year transfer and will enroll at Illinois for the spring semester.
QUOTE: "Talking to (the Illinois coaches) boosted for me how much I want to be here. Their defensive coordinator talked to me about how I fit in the scheme. I can tell how much they want me." OLB Daniel Brown.
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COMMITMENT STORY | FILM ROOM
In-state offensive lineman Brandon Hansen was the first 2024 prospect to commit to Illinois when he gave his pledge in November of 2022. He had previously added an Illinois offer that summer after camping at the school. He committed to Illinois over offers from Akron, Central Michigan, and Toledo. Interest was coming from Iowa, Northwestern, Wisconsin, and others.
Hansen played left tackle at Mundelein. He will likely line up at right tackle or guard for the Fighting Illini. On his senior film he shows power the point of contact, an aggressive playing style, and good motor. He bullies defensive linemen at the high school level and goes to the whistle.
Hansen will enroll at Illinois early for the spring semester.
QUOTE: "They definitely make it feel like family down there. The fan base is very welcoming, along with the staff. The whole being in state thing is awesome. Coach Bart Miller, the offensive line coach, is an awesome guy. Coach Bielema has been so welcoming. I'm excited to be part of the family. I'm ready to get to work."
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Illinois landed defensive lineman Angelo McCullom back in May, the second member of the class of 2024 to pledge to Illinois. Pittsburgh was the main competition for McCullom, and he held multiple Group of 5 and FCS offers.
McCullom was highly productive this fall as a senior. He recorded 57 total tackles, 25 tackles for loss, and 12 sacks and was selected to the Division I football All-Ohio first team. He helped to lead Pickerington North to an 11-2 record and a No. 17 ranking in the state.
McCullom will enroll at Illinois early for the spring semester.
QUOTE: "They like my explosiveness, quick to change direction, creating separation and aggressive. Coach Jamison showed me how my play will translate in college. He showed clips of my play and #4 Johnny Newton. It was crazy to see the similarity because he is a defensive tackle that I look up to."
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Three-star linebacker Easton Baker from Toole (Utah) Stansbury committed to Illinois in June following an official visit. Illinois recruited Baker to play WILL linebacker, with AC Andy Buh heading up the recruitment. Baker chose Illinois over offers from Oklahoma, Arizona State, and Washington State. He was previously committed to BYU, but backed out of that pledge.
Baker's senior season was cut short by an injury. His junior film was off-the-charts entertaining, though, with one big hit after another. Baker recorded 83 tackles that year, including 8 tackles for loss and five sacks.
Baker will enroll at Illinois early for the spring semester.
QUOTE: "Coach Buh and I connected immediately. He loves my violence and my speed. They also love my ability to remove the ball from the running back. The Illinois defense is fast and physical. That’s my kind of party." - LB Easton Baker.
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One of three junior college prospects in the Illini's 2024 signing class, Chase Canada just gave Illinois his commitment late last week. He chose Illinois over offers from Indiana and Houston and he was also getting heavy interest from Iowa State and others.
On film, Canada shows some of the qualities that Illinois looks for at the boundary corner or nickel spot, including good size and physicality in press man coverage. He's strongly-built and shows the courage and aggressiveness to make plays in the box, and the coverage skills to handle slot receivers on the quick hitters.
Canada is a mid-year transfer and will enroll at Illinois for the spring semester.
QUOTE: "I am a gritty , twitchy , physical corner. I am very versatile so I can be used in different positions. I give value in any position and I believe I would excel at nickel or corner." - CB Chase Canada.
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Wheaton (Ill.) North defensive end Joe Barna made his pledge to Illinois following an official visit in late June, choosing Illinois over offers from Indiana, Iowa State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Purdue, Washington State, Wisconsin, and others. He also took an official visit to Wisconsin.
Illinois recruited Barna as an edge rusher, with outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen heading up the recruitment. He played mostly with hand on the ground at Wheaton North, and is a quick-twitch and tenacious pass rusher. Barna was named IHSA Class 7A First-Team All State.
Barna will enroll at Illinois early for the spring semester.
Tight end Tanner Hollinger is probably the most under-the-radar prospect in the signing class. He played 8-man football at tiny Cross County High School in Nebraska. The Illini staff likes combination of length and raw athleticism at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds.
This past season, Hollinger had 23 receptions for 408 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was also a staff stuffer lining up at defense end, with 73 total tackles. Hollinger chose Illinois over Air Force, Army, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois, UAB, and multiple FCS schools. He had a PWO offer from home state Nebraska.
QUOTE: "They like that I have a high motor and I'm always finishing people to the ground. I'm pretty mean on the field and have a chip on my shoulder. They see me as an in-line tight end."
