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News: Illinois Football Lands Top Target Bennett Konkey in the Class of 2027

After landing Morgan Park’s Nas Rankin in 2025, Illinois Football once again locks down a top in-state wide receiver target.

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Illinois Football. Photo Credit: Alex Kyi, Armchair Illini. Bennet Konkey.
Illinois Football. Photo Credit: Alex Kyi, Armchair Illini. Bennet Konkey.

Breaking: Illinois Football has landed its top WR target in the Class of 2027.

On Tuesday afternoon, 4-star Geneva (IL) wide receiver Bennett Konkey announced his verbal commitment to the Fighting Illini following his official visit to Champaign over the weekend of June 12. According to 247Sports, Konkey is impressively ranked as the No. 35 wide receiver in the nation. Plus, he’s currently rated the 12th overall player in the state of Illinois in the 2027 cycle.

With his decision, Konkey becomes Illinois’ 10th commitment in what is expected to be a smaller, more selective 2027 recruiting class, projecting to land around 15-20 signees. With Bennett now on board, Illinois Football currently holds the 60th-ranked recruiting class in the nation according to the 247Sports team recruiting rankings.

Notably, Konkey becomes Bret Bielema’s first wide receiver commitment in the class of 2027.

What Bennett Konkey Means for Illinois Football in 2027 and Beyond

At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, Konkey brings an impressive blend of size, athleticism, and playmaking ability to coach Justin Stepp’s unit. One of the top pass catchers in the Midwest in the cycle, the Geneva standout has consistently shown the ability to create separation, win contested catches, and generate explosive plays after the catch vs really stiff competition in the DuKane conference.

That said, Konkey’s commitment gives Illinois Football its first true cornerstone piece at wide receiver in the 2027 class, adding another in-state playmaker to a group that continues to build behind names like Pat Bryant, Hank Beatty, Isaiah Williams, and others who have helped set the standard in Champaign.

Coach Stepp continues building a strong young foundation for the future of the position. The room already features notable in-state talent such as Nas Rankin and Brayden Trimble, among others who will make a big impact as the future of this position group. Development of that young talent is the major key moving forward.

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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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