Top 2026 football recruits in the state of Illinois

High school football in the state of Illinois might not get some of the shine that other areas do, but the state regularly produces double-digit blue-chip recruits. And many of those go on to productive college careers — and for some — time in the NFL.

That list includes names like Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, and Miami Dolphins tackle Terron Armstead, just to name a few. And there’s a host of prospects in the 2026 class who will be looking to continue that legacy, headlined by a few committed to some of the premier programs in college football.

Below are the top 10 prospects in Illinois headed into the 2025 high school season:

1. TE Mack Sutter – Alabama commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 98 (#6 TE)

A big-bodied tight end, Sutter has played all over the field at the high school level. As a junior, he saw snaps at QB, WR, TE, EDGE and LB. However, he projects to tight end at the next level. Last year, he hauled in 35 receptions for 505 yards (14.4 YPC) and seven touchdowns. On defense, he notched 36 tackles, 8 TFLs, six sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.

2. QB Jonas Williams – USC commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 143 (#10 QB)

Once pledged to Oregon, Williams flipped his commitment to the Trojans back in February. He was an Elite 11 Finalist this summer and is looking to repeat a very impressive junior campaign again this fall. Last year, he was a state player of the year candidate while leading Lincoln Way-East to a 12-1 record and the Class 8A semifinals. He completed nearly 68 percent of his passes while throwing for 2,926 yards and 42 touchdowns. On the ground, he added 395 more yards and seven scores.

3. WR Nasir Rankin – Illinois commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 178 (#26 WR)

Rankin was a huge in-state commitment for Bret Bielema and Co. back in May, and he has never wavered on that decision. In addition to his exploits on the football field, he is also one of Illinois’ most prolific scorers on the hardwood, where he averaged 23.2 points per game as a junior and earned a handful of Division I offers. On the gridiron, he was an All-State selection, hauling in 40 passes for 991 yards and 12 touchdowns.

4. OT Claude Mpouma – Nebraska commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 182 (#15 OT)

Mpouma is new to football after moving to the U.S. to play basketball as a teenager. On the court, he helped lead Wendell Phillips Academy to an Illinois Class 2A championship two years ago. 2024 was his first season playing competitive football, and he earned the starting left tackle job. He has transferred to state powerhouse Mount Carmel ahead of a big senior season.

5. TE JC Anderson – Ole Miss commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 188 (#11 TE)

Another jumbo tight end, Anderson has been one of the state’s most prolific pass-catchers at the position in the past two seasons. Twice an All-State selection in football, he has also played varsity basketball since his freshman season. On the gridiron last fall, he caught 47 passes for 535 yards and seven touchdowns.

6. EDGE McHale Blade – Michigan commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 209 (#26 EDGE)

Despite dealing with an ACL injury that cost him part of his sophomore season and all of his junior campaign, Blade was still one of the state’s most sought-after recruits. Ultimately, he committed to the Wolverines over Wisconsin, Purdue, USC and others. Now standing at 6’5 and nearly 250 pounds, he comes into his senior season as one of the nation’s premier edge rushers.

7. DL Gabe Hill – Indiana commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: #245 (#26 DL)

Hill is considered one of the country’s best defensive linemen after a junior season where he had 44 solo tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and 10 more quarterback hurries. He has already been clocked with a 4.8-second 40 time at just under 300 pounds and brings a ton of athleticism to Naperville North’s defensive line.

8. DL Braeden Jones – USC commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 265 (#29 DL)

The Chicagoland star already fits the bill physically as a defensive lineman, checking in at 6’4 and over 250 pounds. As a junior, he was an All-Conference selection and defensive player of the year for powerhouse Mount Carmel, where he’ll now team up with the aforementioned Claude Mpouma.

9. IOL Gene Riordan – Iowa commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 309 (#24 IOL)

Standing in at 6’5 and 275 pounds ahead of his senior season, Riordan looks to be next in a long line of top offensive tackles to matriculate through Iowa’s program. He choses the Hawkeyes over Minnesota, Illinois and a long list of other programs. Rivals ranks Riordan as the No. 66 player and No. 5 interior lineman nationally in its own rankings.

10. SAF Messiah Tilson – Kentucky commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 323 (#28 SAF)

Tilson is one of the state’s fastest players, clocking a sub 4.4-second 40. And at the AAU Track & Field Nationals last summer, Tilson finished sixth in the 100 meters. He holds the state record in the 200-meter dash, and on the gridiron Tilson had 374 yards rushing and 225 receiving as a junior.