Illinois has moved quickly to get one of the biggest prizes in its 2027 recruiting effort on campus sooner rather than later.
Darius Wabbington, a five-star center from Arizona, has changed his official visit to Illinois from Oct. 23 to this weekend, Sept. 18, Joe Tipton of On3.com reported Tuesday.
Wabbington’s visit list is already filling up: he went to Indiana on Sept. 3, is set for Arizona on Sept. 25, North Carolina on Oct. 30 and Texas on Nov.
The timing stands out. Shifting an official visit up by more than a month is a strong sign Illinois is making Wabbington a priority, and the next week could bring real movement on the recruiting front.
The Illini already have two pledges in their 2027 class, both shooting guards: Quinton Kitt and Mason Martin, who are ranked No. 85 and No. 118, respectively. But Brad Underwood has clearly been targeting size, and Wabbington fits that need in a major way.
At 6-foot-11 and 255 pounds, Wabbington is ranked No. 12 overall in the 2027 class, the No. 2 center in the country and the No. 3 player from Arizona. He has the kind of frame and skill set that could put him in line to play right away.
That matters for Illinois because the frontcourt picture is set to get thin. Heading into next season, Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic will both likely be gone, and they are the only Illinois players currently listed above 6-foot-10.
If the Illini don’t add size for 2027, Jason Jakstys would be the only returning option at 6-foot-10, and he has barely played. David Mirkovic, listed at 6-foot-9, is also expected to be gone after this season, while the program is hoping 6-foot-9 freshman Landon Davis can develop into something.
So the need is obvious, and the opportunity is there. Illinois has playing time available, and it also has NIL resources to pitch.
Put those together, and the Illini look like they’re going hard after Wabbington right now. Let’s see what happens over the next week.
In Other News...
Illinois Already Has Two Problems It Must Fix Fast
Illinois went into its non-conference meeting with Duke hoping to keep building momentum and reach the kind of 3-0 start it wanted before the Ohio State game loomed on the schedule, but instead it came away with a loss that exposed a couple of early concerns. The Illini had trouble with tackling and never found enough consistency on offense, particularly after halftime, when the scoring dipped and the game slipped away.
Bret Bielema now has a short window to sort through what went wrong before Illinois turns to Southern Illinois. The issues are not subtle, and the staff will be looking for answers quickly, because the next stretch will ask whether this was a one-game stumble or the start of problems that need immediate fixing. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Is Chasing A Wing Prospect Who Could Change Its Future
Illinois has positioned itself early with AJ Williams, a top-five recruit in the class of 2027 whose rise has already made him one of the more intriguing long-term targets on the board. The Georgia wing, who plays for Eagles Landing Christian Academy, included Illinois in his top 10 after the Illini first offered him in July, following his showing with Team CP3. For a program always looking to keep its pipeline of national-caliber talent flowing, getting in this early matters.
Williams is the kind of prospect who can force a staff to picture how he would fit before the rest of the roster even settles into place. Illinois has been weighing its wing rotation and broader roster balance, and a player with his blend of upside and versatility would only add to that conversation. The competition is already real, though, and the next steps in his recruitment should tell a lot about how serious Illinois can be about turning an early offer into a future win. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Offensive Line Suddenly Faces A Serious Test At Worst Time
Illinois is heading into its Sept. 26 meeting with Ohio State knowing the spotlight will be bright long before the game gets into the late-afternoon grind. FOX has slotted the matchup for Big Noon Kickoff with an 11 a.m. CT start, which means the Illini will be under national attention from the opening snap when the Buckeyes arrive in Champaign.
The challenge got steeper with Bret Bielema confirming that senior offensive lineman TJ McMillen is out for the season with a foot fracture. Losing an experienced blocker in the middle of a marquee stretch is never ideal, especially with Ohio State looming, but it is the kind of setback that forces depth into the conversation fast. Elsewhere in the Illinois orbit, the program is also in the mix with five-star basketball prospect AJ Williams, who has reclassified to the Class of 2027 and listed Illinois among his top 10 schools. [Read more 🡒]