CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – On Saturday, following a victory in their regular season finale, Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema addressed more than just the triumph over Northwestern in his postgame press conference.

While he reflected on the contributions of the Illini senior class and the defense’s resilience after their setback against Wisconsin, Coach Bielema turned the spotlight on the future prospects of the team multiple times during his remarks.

“I think this will be one of the best [recruiting] classes I’ve ever been able to assemble,” Bielema remarked, following Illinois’ 20-13 win over Northwestern.

The anticipation is high as Illinois expects to secure a top-25 ranked recruiting class nationally, set to make commitments official in the first week of December during the NCAA’s early signing period. The 2026 recruiting class for the Illini boasts 27 commits, securing the No. 22 spot nationally and ranking No. 6 within the Big Ten, according to 247 Sports.

This promising group is highlighted by several four-star recruits, notably including Nick Hankins, a four-star cornerback from Belleville, Illinois. Hankins is ranked as the No. 16 cornerback in this recruiting cycle and is confirmed by WCIA to sign with Illinois this coming Wednesday.

“I think there might be three or four guys in this signing class who are day one starters,” Bielema said on Saturday. “That gives us testament to who we can compete with. Even [after winning] three Big Ten championships at Wisconsin, I never could get in on the [recruits] we’re getting in on now. Getting them to come here and visit, and then also land them – That’s a really big deal.”

Other highly rated recruits expected to be true freshmen with Illinois in 2026 include four-star offensive lineman Kai Pritchard out of New Jersey and four-star wide receiver Nasir Rankin of Chicago. Rankin also confirmed to WCIA that he will sign with the Illini on Wednesday.