The next big thing for the Fighting Illini of Illinois might be a two-sport star.
They picked up a dual-sport commitment on Thursday from Nasir Rankin. It's a staying-home decision of sorts for Rankin, who attends Morgan Park High School in Chicago.
Rankin will suit up as both a football and basketball player for Illinois.
On the gridiron, Ranking plays both wide receiver and defensive back.
According to Maxpreps, Rankins had 991 receiving yards and 12 TDs as a junior while also snagging six interceptions.
Rankin, at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, is a guard on the basketball court. He averaged 23.2 points per game as a junior.
On3 ranks Rankin as the No. 7 'athlete' as a football recruit in the state of Illinois for the class of 2026.
Bret Bielma and Brad Underwood might have to fight a little bit over who gets to use Rankin when.
In reality, though, it's a huge win for the Fighting Illini in general.
It can be hard to win recruiting battles for big-time players in one sport. To get a guy who can be special in two? That's huge news.
And Illinois beat out North Carolina, among others, for Rankin's commitment. Definitely a big win for the Fighting Illini.
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