Latest news with #Illini
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Illini edge-rusher Gabe Jacas a rising prospect for 2026
Illini edge-rusher Gabe Jacas a rising prospect for 2026 It's a widely held misnomer that non-College Football Playoff bowl games don't mean anything. This is especially true for individual players looking to improve their NFL Draft stock. A headliner game against an out of conference opponent provides the right time to shine, and Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas did exactly that in the Citrus Bowl win over a top 15 South Carolina team. Going up against an offense led by LaNorris Sellers (who projects as a top three QB, top 10 overall pick in the 2026 draft) Jacas posted a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss and eight tackles. He was very disruptive, and South Carolina coach Shane Beamer took notice in the postgame press conference, referring to Jacas as "a really good player on the defensive line." On Wednesday, Jacas was named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, which consists of the top 42 defensive players in college football based on their impact both on and off the field. Last year's Heisman Trophy winner, Travis Hunter of Colorado, claimed this award as well. Jacas, who can play as a kind of OLB/DE hybrid, started all 13 games for the 10-3 Illini last season, totaling 74 tackles, 13.0 TFLs, 8.0 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. Under head coach Bret Bielema, Illinois has quietly become a NFL talent factory, and Jacas might have the highest draft stock on the team. That's because his skill set is exactly what the NFL is looking for right now- 3-4 OLBs whose primary job is to hit the quarterback. Jacas is a disruptive edge rusher, with a penchant for getting into opposing backfields, early and often. With these services in high demand, his future looks bright.
Chicago Tribune
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Brother Rice's King Liggins joins Morgan Park's Nasir Rankin in committing to Illinois. ‘Going to start a trend.'
When King Liggins started high school at Brother Rice, college football wasn't even his radar. But that changed quickly. The 6-foot-4, 280-pound defensive lineman, who will be a senior in the fall, has the size and toughness colleges look for. Suddenly, he decided he could dream big. 'It was crazy when I started getting offers my freshman year summer,' Liggins said. 'Me and my coaches started talking and I realized, 'Wow, I really have a chance to play at the next level and then maybe even higher than that in the NFL.' 'I've just been grinding since then, and it's really special to see that hard work start to show.' It all became a reality Wednesday when Liggins committed to Illinois. Liggins, who had 37 tackles and 1 1/2 sacks last season, is rated as a three-star recruit and the No. 18 prospect in the state for the 2026 class. After receiving over 20 scholarship offers, Liggins narrowed his choices down to Wisconsin and Illinois before picking his home state school. 'I loved the family atmosphere, and it's somewhere where I feel like I can get to the next level — the NFL,' Liggins said. 'They have a plan for me to get to that next level, and I believe that they can help me get there. 'I just thought, 'Why not stay home, create a legacy and do something that's never been done there?'' Liggins announced his choice on YouTube, starting a big day for the Illini. Hours later, Morgan Park receiver Nasir Rankin also committed to Illinois via YouTube. Liggins hopes he and Rankin can start a wave of local players staying home for college. 'Nasir and I played against each other in eighth grade, so we know each other,' Liggins said. 'It's great because not a lot of guys from our area go to Illinois. 'I feel like this is going to start a trend. We have a state with a lot of good football players. Why not stay together, stay home and go to Illinois?' Rankin is rated a four-star recruit and the No. 8 player in Illinois in the 2026 class by Rivals. He piled up 48 catches for 1,126 yards and 17 touchdowns during a breakout season last fall. Rankin, who also has a scholarship offer from the Illini for basketball, plans to attempt to play both sports in college. Liggins, meanwhile, is relieved to be done with recruiting and ready to put all his energy back into football. 'It feels great to know all the recruiting process is over and being able to just focus on my football season this year is really great,' he said. 'The process was very crazy. 'I had to do a lot of research on my own on schools and coaches and that ultimately pushed me to come to Illinois, too.' The Illini appear to be trending upward under coach Bret Bielema, going 10-3 last fall and finishing No. 16 in The Associated Press rankings. 'They're a really good program but they're not cocky,' Liggins said. 'They genuinely have a hungry team. They have something to prove. They come to work every day and that's what I want to do.' Liggins is excited for summer practices but certainly isn't satisfied. He knows there's plenty of room for him to get better for his senior season at Brother Rice. 'This offseason, I'm trying to find anything in my game that I need to work on,' he said. 'I'm working on transition pass rush a lot right now. I know there are other little things I can improve on. 'Every offseason, I want to get better. I want to get to the NFL and that's going to take hard work. I also have to be able to critique myself. I think the more you can do that, the better you can be.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wisconsin top class of 2026 target receives notable prediction before commitment date
Wisconsin football class of 2026 defensive line target King Liggins will announce his collegiate commitment later today, Wednesday, May 21. Liggins, who received his offer from Luke Fickell's program on June 16, 2024, will decide between the Badgers and Illinois Fighting Illini during 247Sports' Ultimate College Football Show on Wednesday, according to Allen Trieu. Advertisement A product of Chicago Brother Rice in Chicago, Illinois, Liggins is 247Sports' No. 91 defensive lineman and No. 19 prospect from Illinois in the class of 2026. He's received offers from nearly 30 programs scattered throughout the nation, including from Iowa, Indiana, Purdue, Rutgers and Kansas. Here's Trieu's recruiting profile on the three-star recruit: "Liggins is a coveted prospect because at 6-foot-4, 280 pounds, he can play inside and is a little more ready-made than other interior prospects. That body type and the athleticism that goes along with it are typically more rare in the Midwest. So when they come along, these guys tend to be very heavily recruited and that is the case with Liggins. He shows motor and ability to run plays down. He is not just a guy who eats up space, but can also penetrate and make plays. But if needed, he can tie up blockers as well. He has grown steadily from 240 pounds when we first saw him to 265 to 280. We project him getting over 300 pounds and being a true defensive tackle." While Wisconsin is certainly a finalist, On3's recruiting prediction machine considers Illinois a favorite to secure Liggins at 88.2%. Wisconsin, meanwhile, boasts just a 3.0% likelihood to earn a commitment. 247Sports' Illinois expert Jeremy Werner also registered a crystal ball prediction favoring the Illini. As of May 20, Wisconsin's class of 2026 currently features seven commits and ranks No. 43 in the country. A commitment from Liggins would certainly boost that ranking, but only marginally. 247Sports' Ultimate College Football Show begins at 3 p.m. CT. Liggins' commitment is expected between 3:30 and 3:45 p.m. CT. Advertisement Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin Football King Liggins pre-commitment prediction to Illinois
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Wisconsin top class of 2026 target receives notable prediction before commitment date
Wisconsin top class of 2026 target receives notable prediction before commitment date Wisconsin football class of 2026 defensive line target King Liggins will announce his collegiate commitment later today, Wednesday, May 21. Liggins, who received his offer from Luke Fickell's program on June 16, 2024, will decide between the Badgers and Illinois Fighting Illini during 247Sports' Ultimate College Football Show on Wednesday, according to Allen Trieu. A product of Chicago Brother Rice in Chicago, Illinois, Liggins is 247Sports' No. 91 defensive lineman and No. 19 prospect from Illinois in the class of 2026. He's received offers from nearly 30 programs scattered throughout the nation, including from Iowa, Indiana, Purdue, Rutgers and Kansas. Here's Trieu's recruiting profile on the three-star recruit: "Liggins is a coveted prospect because at 6-foot-4, 280 pounds, he can play inside and is a little more ready-made than other interior prospects. That body type and the athleticism that goes along with it are typically more rare in the Midwest. So when they come along, these guys tend to be very heavily recruited and that is the case with Liggins. He shows motor and ability to run plays down. He is not just a guy who eats up space, but can also penetrate and make plays. But if needed, he can tie up blockers as well. He has grown steadily from 240 pounds when we first saw him to 265 to 280. We project him getting over 300 pounds and being a true defensive tackle." While Wisconsin is certainly a finalist, On3's recruiting prediction machine considers Illinois a favorite to secure Liggins at 88.2%. Wisconsin, meanwhile, boasts just a 3.0% likelihood to earn a commitment. 247Sports' Illinois expert Jeremy Werner also registered a crystal ball prediction favoring the Illini. As of May 20, Wisconsin's class of 2026 currently features seven commits and ranks No. 43 in the country. A commitment from Liggins would certainly boost that ranking, but only marginally. 247Sports' Ultimate College Football Show begins at 3 p.m. CT. Liggins' commitment is expected between 3:30 and 3:45 p.m. CT. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
16-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Bret Bielema turns Illinois into leading NFL talent producer; earns contract extension
Bret Bielema turns Illinois into leading NFL talent producer; earns contract extension Bret Bielema has completely turned the Illinois Fighting Illini football program around, and he's been rewarded for his efforts with a new lucrative contract extension. On Tuesday night, the University of Illinois announced a new six-year contract for Bielema, which extends him through the 2030 season. He will now be paid an annual salary of $7.7 million, plus potential incentive add-ons over the life of his new deal. Bielema led the Illini to just their fifth 10 win season in school history in 2024, which concluded with a Citrus Bowl win over then #14 South Carolina. Illinois returns 18/22 starters from that team, and thus they now find themselves often in the top 15, sometimes in the top 10 of various publications' "way too early" preseason polls. And the Illini have quietly become a NFL talent factory as well. According to a press release from the school, "Illinois was one of five schools with three or more players drafted in the first three rounds in both the 2023 and 2024 NFL Drafts, along with Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Penn State." That is extremely elite company right there. But the Illinois Sports Information Department included another impressive stat, about the 12 NFL Draft picks that have come out of Illinois since the Prophetstown, Illinois native took the job in 2021. The release states that "eight have been selected within the top-100 picks, the fourth-highest mark in the Big Ten behind only Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State among teams that have been in the league since 2021." This factoid is even more impressive, because now you're putting the Illini in the same conversation as the league's traditional triad of power. UM, OSU and PSU, during most of the 2010s and 2020s, have been in a class well above the rest of the conference. However, of Bielema's many talents, skills and abilities, producing NFL Draft picks is right there at the top of the list. During his three different stops as a college head coach (Wisconsin and Arkansas in addition to Illinois), his programs have produced 56 different draft picks. The 2023 NFL Draft was especially memorable for Bielema and Illinois. As we spotlighted in our Pat Bryant prospect profile piece, the Illini secondary saw three of their players go in the first three rounds: "Devon Witherspoon became the first cornerback off the board in the 2023 draft, going fifth overall to the Seattle Seahawks. Jartavius "Quan" Martin, DB went 47th overall to the Washington Commanders in the 2nd round while Sydney Brown, S, went 66th overall to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 3rd." Illinois is getting a great return on their investment in Bielema, and thus it was time to make him a newly minted man.
