Illinois shocked a lot of people earlier this month when it landed a commitment from Texas four-star cornerback Marquez Beason, who had just included Ohio State in his Top 4 a few weeks earlier.
On Friday, the Illini picked up another highly sought-after prospect when St. Louis Trinity Christian five-star athlete Isaiah Williams announced his commitment on Twitter on Friday morning.
#Committed #AMDG pic.twitter.com/zIRefBIiw8
— Isaiah Williams (@i_williams11) March 23, 2018
The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Williams is considered the third-best athlete and No. 28 prospect overall in the Class of 2019, but Illinois was one of the few schools recruiting him solely as a quarterback. Ohio State offered him last April and he visited for Friday Night Lights, but he wasn't high on the priority chart because the staff was unsure of his position at the next level.
The Illini also recently hired his former head coach, Cory Patterson, to be their tight ends coach — which isn't subject to the rules that prohibit schools from recruiting prospects in such situations because he's an on-field coach rather than an analyst or off-field assistant.
Williams becomes Illinois first five-star commit since 2007 (receiver Arrelious Benn and defensive end Martez Wilson).
