By Mark Pszonak
As most schools are currently fine-tuning their Class of 2026 recruiting, attention is also quickly returning to the Class of 2027. Illinois did that with a bang on Sunday night when they received the commitment of four-star quarterback Kamden Lopati.
Lopati, 6-foot-3 and 215-pounds, plays his football at West High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. He picked up his first offer during the spring prior to his sophomore season from Iowa State, but it wasn’t until January of this year that he saw his process hit the next level.
That is when offers came in from Arizona State and San Diego State, which was then followed with Oklahoma State, Oregon, Boston College and Purdue joining the chase during the spring. It wasn’t until April 24th that Illinois offered, but a follow-up visit in June is what helped the Illini and head coach Bret Bielema seal the deal on Sunday night. Coach Bielema was eager to share the news last night, despite not being able to mention Lopati’s name.
Coach Bielema has reason to be excited. During Lopati’s sophomore season at West High School he passed for 3,050 yards and 25 touchdowns in 10 games. He also showcased his dual-threat abilities by rushing for 647 yards and three touchdowns.
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There is plenty of time before Lopati ever sees the field in Champaign, but this commitment gives the Illini early recruiting momentum with the Class of 2027 as well as continuing the positive vibes heading into what should be a successful 2025 season.
