Illinois Fighting Illini Lose Out On Local 3-Star DB Recruit

Anthony Pasciolla | Jul 10, 2024

Nov 11, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema reacts to a call during the second half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The Illinois Fighting Illini's football program missed out on the opportunity to gain more talent in their DB room, losing out on a 3-star recruit.

Rising senior Charles Bass announced his decision to join the Missouri Tigers on Wednesday, with the Kansas State Wildcats, Arkansas Razorbacks, and Illini as the other schools in consideration. He was originally set to make his decision on July 1, but it was pushed back.

Bass was joined by many family members and friends for the announcement, keeping it short and sweet. He credited the Tigers' approach to his position as a part of the reason for his commitment.

He is listed as a top-15 cornerback in Illinois while being the No. 310 recruit in the 2025 class, according to 247Sports. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound rising senior attends East St. Louis High School in Illinois. It comes as a shock the Illini were unable to land Bass, considering his ties to the area.

The loss brings more bad news for Illini fans, as they missed out on a top recruit from the state of Florida not long ago. Cardinal Newman cornerback Max Redmon toyed with the Illini fans by revealing an Illinois shirt, then quickly flipped to the Florida State Seminoles. Redmon is a three-star recruit, according to 247 Sports. He is the No. 94-ranked safety nationally and the No. 143 prospect in Florida.

Illinois coach Bret Bielema has 13 commits in the 2025 class, many of whom are defensive backs. The Illini are considered a top 50 recruiting class by most scouting services despite this missed addition.

Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Illini Now. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.

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