COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Illini sign 19 players

Dec. 21—CHAMPAIGN — The University of Illinois football team hit new levels on signing day on Wednesday.

The Illini signed 19 players and was named among the top 50 recruiting classes for the third year in a row under Bret Bielema.

That is the first time Illinois has reached three straight top 50 classes since the beginning of recruiting rankings according to 247 Sports.

The Illini had four players of the top 33 players from Illinois, making it the third straight year Illinois has done so. The haul from Illinois include wide receiver Tysean Griffin of Morgan Park in Chicago, linebacker Joe Barna from Wheaton North, defensive lineman Eddie Tuerk from Lyons Township and offensive lineman Brandon Hansen of Mundelein.

Illinois also picked up a major four-star recruit in offensive lineman Andrew Dennis, who is the No. 7 interior offensive lineman prospect and the No. 3 player from Michigan. He is the highest rated interior offensive line recruit in program history.

Bielema signed two players each from Florida and Ohio and one player each from California, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Utah.

Also Griffin (Chris James) and Tuerk (Jon Beutjer) were coaches by former Illini, along with Bainbridge, Ga.'s JoJo Knight, who was coached by Russell Ellington.

Along with 16 freshmen, the Illini also picked up junior linebacker Daniel Brown, sophomore defensive back Chase Canada and sophomore wide receiver Mario Saunders II.

Brown is a four-star recruit coming out of Hutchinson Community College, while Canada is a three-star recruit out of Trinity Valley Community College and Saunders is a three-star recruit out of Iowa Central College who led the NJCAA in receptions with 72.

The Illini anticipates 13 of the 19 signees to enroll in Champaign in January.