Illinois Football continues strong recruiting momentum throughout summer 2025

For much of the spring and early summer portion of the 2026 recruiting cycle, Illinois Football held a top-10 spot in the team recruiting rankings, but as the class continues to take shape, the Illini have gradually slipped outside that range. Regardless, they remain firmly inside the Top 25 (at No. 23) and among elite company nationally on the recruiting trail.

Now, with the recent commitment of 4-star ATH Jacob Eberhart, the progress Bret Bielema’s program has made offers fresh validation and builds momentum moving forward to shake off some tough recent misses.

COMMIT: Huge news as four-star linebacker Jacob Eberhart chooses the Illini over offers from Oklahoma, Missouri, and Nebraska pic.twitter.com/Q1YEvqPToU

— Armchair Illinois (@ArmchairIllini) July 12, 2025

Illinois Football to No. 23 in the Class of 2026

Eberhart, one of Missouri’s top-ranked players (No. 4) and a composite top-20 ATH nationally, chose the Illini over the likes of Missouri, Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, LSU, Penn State, Nebraska, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Ole Miss, USC (No. 1 ranked class), and several others—to boost the Illini’s class of 23 commits thus far. It’s also yet another big win for Bielema’s staff in the greater St. Louis metro area, where they continue to build inroads in a region long heavily influenced by the SEC.

His father, the late Jason Eberhart (class of 2000), who sadly passed away in 2023, was a defensive lineman for the Illini in the late ’90s, and his commitment further honors a powerful family legacy that resonates deeply within the Illini community and beyond.

The St. Louis native becomes the fifth 4-star pledge in Illinois’ 2026 class, joining Nasir Rankin, Kai Pritchard, Cam Thomas, and Nick Hankins. With his addition, the Illini remain locked inside the Top 25 nationally at No. 23 and sit at No. 8 in the Big Ten—a strong position for mid-July, given the Illini’s No. 49 finish in the 2025 class.

Yes, there have been some recent misses, including in-state tight ends JC Anderson and Mack Sutter, who are both SEC-bound. However, Illinois’ class still reflects real, continued progress and momentum.

There’s certainly more work yet to be done in 2026, but the foundation is stronger than it’s been in a very long time.

Dec 31. 2024. Orlando, FL. USA. Camping World Stadium. Credit: Jeremy Reper. Imagn Images.

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