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Illinois adds JUCO prospect Deon Williams to 2026 class

hunterby: Hunter Shelton06/01/26HunterShelton_

Illinois has signed Deon Williams, a JUCO defensive lineman who played at City College of San Fransisco last season. Williams will join the Illini’s 2026 recruiting class.

He is the No. 35 JUCO prospect in the cycle and was originally apart of the 2025 recruiting cycle coming out of high school while playing at Liberty (Nev.). Kansas State, Colorado, Louisville and Kansas were among the other Power Four programs that offered.

Williams visited Champaign this spring and discussed the trip with Rivals’ Allen Trieu:

“The emphasis on fam-ILLy,” Williams said recapping his visit. “Coach B being a head coach, but also was my position coach at the highest level and has coached legends like JJ Watt. The whole defensive staff has unlimited knowledge. I mean, our defensive coordinator was a head coach for 20 years. It doesn’t get much better than Illinois, especially with the opportunity to play in the Big Ten.”

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Last season for CCSF, Williams had 25 total tackles across 10 games. He had three tackles for loss.

He’s a late addition to an Illinois class that’s already signed 36 prospects, forming the No. 22 recruiting class in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. Williams joins multiple other JUCO recruits that have landed with Bret Bielema and Co.

More on Illinois’ 2026 recruiting class

It’s a sizable haul that’s getting acquainted in Champaign ahead of the upcoming season. Williams is the fifth blue-chip prospect to join the class and second from the JUCO ranks, flanking cornerback Jakwon Morris.

Looking at the top high school talent in the class, Belleville (Ill.) West four-star cornerback Nick Hankins Jr. headlines. He finished as the No. 128 recruit and No. 16 corner in the cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies.

Fort Pierce (Fla.) Vero Beach four-star interior offensive lineman Micah Smith was another big get. Illinois flipped him away from UCLA. He’s the No. 25 IOL in the cycle. Chicago Morgan Park four-star wide receiver Nasir Rankin is another playmaker keen on making an instant impression for the Illini this fall.

“I’m looking forward to just getting down there and getting my body right so I can play. “That’s the most exciting thing is getting the chance to go play,” Rankin told Rivals’ Greg Smith back in January.

Illinois’ 2026 recruiting class can be seen in full here.