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Illinois Football Commit Watch: Top In-State Target Nasir Rankin

Illinois Football close to landing a big fish?

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9 months ago

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Illinois Football Target Nasir Rankin
Morgan Park’s Nasir Rankin (7) grabs a touchdown pass over the Metamora defense in the first half of their second-round football playoff game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 in Metamora. The Redbirds were eliminated 55-28.

Illinois Football is on the doorstep of potentially landing one of its top targets in the class of 2026.

Four-star wide receiver Nasir Rankin, a Top 100 national prospect (#85) and the No. 2 player in the state of Illinois according to 247Sports, will announce his college decision on Wednesday, May 21 at 4:30 PM CST, live on the 247Sports YouTube channel. (Link Below).

The Illini are in strong company heading into decision day, with Rankin also considering Duke, Nebraska, North Carolina, and USC among his finalists.

As a junior, the 5’11” dual-threat standout posted eye-popping numbers for Morgan Park—coached by former Illini Chris James—hauling in 40 catches for 991 yards and 12 touchdowns, while also making a heavy impact in the defensive backfield.

However, Rankin’s athleticism extends beyond the gridiron.

Bret Bielema will look to get an additional assist from Illinois basketball coach Brad Underwood, who added a unique wrinkle to Nasir’s recruitment by offering him the chance to be a dual-sport athlete in Champaign and a spot on his roster. On the hardwood, Rankin averaged 23.2 points over 19 games, ranking 8th in Illinois, 2nd in Class 3A, and leading the Chicago Public – White South division. The Illini are seemingly the only school in his top-5 to extend a dual-sport offer.

So as commitment day approaches, the question is: Can Bielema and Underwood seal the deal?

Will Illinois Football Land Nasir Rankin?

I like the Illini’s chances heading into Wednesday. This has been a long, hard-fought battle by Bielema and his staff to keep Rankin home—and after his visit to Champaign in April, combined with the rare opportunity to play basketball for a national powerhouse under Brad Underwood, Illinois has made staying in-state a very appealing option.

Right now, the Illini appear to be the frontrunner, with several Crystal Ball predictions in their favor according to 247 Sports—including Illini Inquirer’s Jeremy Werner and Ryan Easterling, and Cyclone Alert’s Nick Osen, among others.

I wouldn’t call it a lock, but I would be surprised if the Illini aren’t celebrating this one on Wednesday.

WATCH NASIR RANKIN’S COMMITMENT HERE

 

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Kirkland is an expert source for Illinois athletics news. He is the lead Football analyst at Armchair Illini and has been featured in top media publications like Bleacher Report, Yard Barker, Autograph, Newsbreak, CBS Sports and more.

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