Illinois is hosting one of its biggest recruiting weekends in a long time, and the headliners are easy to spot. Darius Wabbington and Moussa Kamissoko are both in Champaign, giving the Illini a shot to make a major impression on a pair of class of 2027 five-stars.
Wabbington feels like the more intriguing case. He moved his official visit up, which suggests Illinois may have put itself in a strong position. Kamissoko is a little harder to read, mostly because his schedule is packed and Illinois is simply the next stop on his list.
If the Illini were somehow able to land both, the ceiling would shoot straight through the roof. Even with several players on the projected starting lineup carrying NBA Draft buzz, the roster would still have the kind of talent that turns heads immediately. If those players decided to come back, Illinois would be sitting on one of the best groups in the country.
The projected starting five would be loaded. Vaaks is viewed as a projected NBA Draft pick, so a return next season feels unlikely, though it would be a major boost if he came back as one of the team’s leaders.
Coleman is in a similar spot and is currently projected as a low first-round pick. If his season doesn’t go the way people expect, another year in Champaign could be on the table.
On the wing, Kamissoko would step in right away if he committed. He would take over for Andrej Stojakovic, and the fit looks clean. His athleticism stands out, and he would bring a look that works on both ends of the floor.
At forward, Mirkovic is another name to watch in the NBA conversation. If he is not viewed as a first-round pick in 2027, there’s at least a chance he comes back. He has the tools to hear his name called early, but if NBA scouts aren’t fully sold, that could end up helping Illinois.
Wabbington would give the Illini the big body they want in the middle. At 6-foot-11 and 255 pounds, he would bring size to a team built to play fast. He would also slide straight into the No. 5 spot if he chose Illinois.
The bench would be ridiculous, too. It would be young, deep and loaded with talent if both five-stars joined the mix. Ethan Brown, Landon Davis, Lucas Morillo, Zavier Zens, Lincoln Williams, Jason Jakstys and Quinton Kitt would give Illinois a reserve group packed with four-star talent and several top-100 recruits.
Zens and Morillo are worth watching closely as the season goes on. Both have even been rumored as NBA Draft possibilities, which only adds to how much upside this roster could carry.
In Other News...
Illinois May Have A New Offensive Star Before Big Ten Play
Illinois rolled past Southern Illinois 48-10, and the biggest sign of what might be coming for the Illini offense came from Collin Dixon. Katin Houser found him for two second-quarter touchdown passes, and Dixon finished with eight catches for 131 yards while adding another entry to the record book at Gies Memorial Stadium with a single-season touchdown reception mark.
Bret Bielema had plenty of reason to praise Dixon after the game, especially with Big Ten play looming and Illinois looking for reliable playmakers who can tilt the field. Southern Illinois coach Nick Hill was left to absorb the loss and turn the page toward conference play of his own, while Illinois gets a clearer picture of how dangerous this passing game can be when Dixon is involved. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Dixon Is Forcing Illinois Fans To Rethink The Record Book
Collin Dixon has turned the first three games into a conversation piece for Illinois fans, and not just because of how quickly he has piled up yards and touchdowns. The wide receiver has seven receiving scores and 369 yards so far, enough to put his name on top of the record at Gies Memorial Stadium and to start drawing a fresh look at what the Illinois passing game can produce when one target keeps finding the end zone.
What makes it even more intriguing is how much history he is already chasing this early in the season. Dixon is close to tying and possibly breaking the Illinois single-season receiving touchdown mark, and he is already halfway to the career record as well, which says plenty about the pace he has set. The bigger question now is whether he can keep this kind of scoring run going long enough to turn a hot start into something that rewrites the record book. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Win Eases One Concern But Raises Another For Fans
Illinois opened the season with a comfortable 48-10 win over Southern Illinois, and the kind of result fans wanted to see after a summer of questions. The offense had stretches that looked sharp, with the line doing its part and Katin Houser putting together a productive day through the air, which at least gave Illinois something to build on heading into a tougher stretch.
Still, the final margin did not hide everything. Even with Southern Illinois limited to 10 points, there were defensive issues that showed up enough to keep the staff's attention, and the performance left a mixed feeling for fans who wanted a cleaner all-around start. One concern may have eased, but the next one is already waiting. [Read more 🡒]