Top 2027 high school football recruits in Illinois

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The state of Illinois is among the deepest in the country when it comes to high school football talent in the Class of 2027. Not traditionally known as a fertile recruiting ground, the Prairie State boasts 14 blue-chip prospects in the Rivals Industry Ranking.

Along with that, they’re expected to have more than 40 Power 4 prospects overall, signaling that the class isn’t just talented at the top. These recruits are drawing interest from coast-to-coast, and some will be among the nation’s most heavily recruited over the next six months until signing day.

Rivals breaks down the top 10 prospects in state as summer rolls on:

1. DL David Folorunsho – Notre Dame commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 34
School: St. Patrick
The Skinny: Folorunsho has emerged as one of the premier defensive lineman in the class, ranking No. 3 at the position in the Rivals Industry Ranking. After considering Georgia, Penn State, Miami, Notre Dame, Texas Tech and others, he committed to the Fighting Irish on May 15.

“He is a twitched up defensive lineman with a rare combination of size and athleticism along the interior,” writes Charles Power, Rivals’ Director of Scouting and Rankings. “Measured at 6-foot-3, 285 pounds with 34 inch arms prior to his senior season. Came onto the national scene following a breakout junior campaign. Plays all over the defensive line, lining up on the edge and along the interior. Able to quickly disengage and flashes encouraging hand usage for a young player. Shows elite burst on film, darting into the backfield and running sideline-to-sideline with ease. Closing speed is jarring. Looks like a linebacker when tracking down ball carriers in pursuit. Finished with 15 tackles for loss and five sacks as a junior. Still mastering technique and will need continued development but has one of the highest upsides among defensive linemen in the 2027 cycle.”

2. QB Israel Abrams – Miami commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 36
School: Montini Catholic
The Skinny: Abrams has long been considered one of the premier players in the state and backed it up with a monster junior season. Purdue, Auburn, Florida State and Kentucky were among his top schools early in the spring, but the Hurricanes emerged in March and landed his commitment in early April. He was one of the top performers at last month’s Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles. Abrams is coming off a junior campaign that saw him pass for more than 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns with just six interceptions.

3. RB Myson Johnson-Cook – Auburn commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 51
School: East St. Louis
The Skinny: Johnson-Cook racked up more than 1,300 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns while averaging better than 10 yards per attempt as a junior. He drew interest from across the country, and multiple schools were trending at different points before his commitment. Heading into decision day, the battle came down to Miami and Auburn, with the Tigers ultimately winning out and adding him as a headline piece to what’s now a borderline top-10 class.

4. QB Jake Nawrot – Kentucky commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 57
School: John Hersey
The Skinny: Nawrot saw a meteoric rise up the rankings early this spring, ascending to the No. 5 overall spot among quarterbacks. Rivals has him even higher than other services as the country’s No. 2 passer. He now sits in five-star territory if the rankings were expanded to the full top-32 and could move even further up this offseason. Iowa, Oregon, Northwestern and others were in the mix, but the Wildcats and passing guru Will Stein secured his pledge — making him one of the highest-rated commits in program history.

5. TE Brock Williams – Texas commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 80
School: Libertyville
The Skinny: Georgia, Ohio State and Texas were the three top schools for Williams, who checks in as one of the nation’s premier tight ends. Each team jockeyed for position throughout the spring, but Texas jumped to the top of the list after a slew of visits to Austin. He committed to the Longhorns on May 15, securing their second top-100 commit of the cycle to go along with five-star wide receiver Easton Royal.

6. WR Quentin Burrell – Michigan commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 101
School: Mount Carmel
The Skinny: Burrell traversed the country this spring on a visit tour, ultimately committing to Michigan over Notre Dame, Missouri, Nebraska and a few others.

“He is a bigger, classic outside receiver but can also be effective in the slot,” writes Midwest analyst Allen Trieu. “Has always had very good hand-eye coordination, ball skills, and ability to make contested catches. Smooth mover who can change directions fluidly and tracks and adjusts to the ball with ease. That shows up as a route runner also where he creates separation with his fluidity and change of direction. No verified speed. Comes across as having above average top end, but is not currently elite in terms of his long speed. Solid after the catch though. His athleticism translates to some wiggle and ability to make defenders miss. Savvy player who is well coached in high school and has played a lot of high level 7-on-7. Combination of polish and size gives him a chance to be an early contributor in college.”

7. SAF Tavares Harrington – Michigan commit

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 134
School: Mount Carmel
The Skinny: Harrington had offers from around the country, but primarily focused his attention on Ole Miss and Michigan heading into the summer. Both were set to receive official visits this month, but he chose to commit to the Wolverines on May 22. He was one of a near-dozen commitments in May for Kyle Whittingham and Co.

“The history of Michigan from the academics and football,” Harrington told Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong. “It’s the best thing to be part of.”

8. LB Roman Igwebuike

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 147
School: Mount Carmel
The Skinny: Igwebuike narrowed his list to to Indiana, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Missouri and Clemson last month. The Hoosiers and both Tigers got him on campus for official visits already, while Clemson and Tennessee still remain on the itinerary. According to Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong, it’s a three-team battle between Clemson, Notre Dame and Indiana right now.

9. DL Brayden Parks

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 185
School: Brother Rice
The Skinny: Notre Dame and Oregon have been in a back-and-forth battle for Parks all spring, with the Fighting Irish set to host him this weekend. The Ducks will have the last visit on June 19 before he looks to make a decision.

“Notre Dame has turned up the heat for Parks over the last couple of months and is pushing hard to get him in the fold,” writes Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong. “I believe there is confidence around South Bend that Parks ends up Irish.”

10. CB Raheem Floyd

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 171
School: East St. Louis (Ill.)
The Skinny: Floyd is one of the top uncommitted cornerbacks in the country, with an official visit slate that includes Missouri, Florida and Ole Miss. The Tigers are trending as the favorite in the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM), but the other two will have their chances to make an impression during official visits over the next two weekends.

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