Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith has predictions on a big commitment for Illinois , a standout 2027 crop of Midwest tight ends and USC posting a bounce-back season.

JC ANDERSON ENDS UP AT ILLINOIS

Illinois , Auburn and Ole Miss are the top contenders for the big tight end out of Illinois. North Carolina is lurking while Notre Dame has fallen off in the recruitment. The official visit to Illinois is the only one he’s taken so far but dates are locked in for Auburn, Ole Miss and North Carolina trips.

It’s risky to make the prediction ahead of three officials to programs with good recruiting head coaches. But I’m going out on a limb here and saying that Anderson will pick the Illini in the end.

The ability to stay home and help the program build something special in Champaign could be too tempting to pass up. But Illinois will have to fight hard to get this one over the finish line.

MIDWEST GETS A FIVE-STAR TIGHT END IN 2027 CLASS

There is lots of talk about the receivers in Midwest for 2027 already. That’s rightfully so because Jamier Brown , Dakota Guerrant , Monshun Sales and Quentin Burrell could end up in five-star discussions. But don’t lose track of an elite tight end in the region for the 2027 cycle, too.

Brock Williams is a prospect that has offers from coast to coast for a reason. He’s more of a jumbo receiver at this point but as he continues to fill out his frame and work on his blocking, he’ll be an absolute force on the field. He’s got all the traits necessary to be a five-star tight end in his class.

USC MAKES THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

So far during his tenure things have been pretty uneven for coach Lincoln Riley at USC . He’s finished 11-3, 8-5 and 7-6 in his first three seasons. He’s 2-1 in bowl games but the Holiday Bowl is the best bowl win on his USC resume. Things have slipped during his time in Los Angeles. So why am I ready to bet on Riley to turn things around?

It’s simple. I don’t think college football has figured him out quite yet. He’s still an offensive guru who can coach quarterbacks as well as anyone in the country. We could see a big leap for returning starter Jayden Maiava .

But the biggest reason the Trojans make the leap is because of defense. In 2023 the Trojans gave up 432 yards and 34 points per game. After an overhaul with the coaching staff before last season, the team allowed 377 yards per game and 24 points per game. If they can get to the 20 points per game allowed mark (about middle of the pack in the Big Ten) they are going to win a lot of games.

I like the schedule for USC this season. The two toughest games are at Notre Dame and at Oregon . A split in those games and taking care of business elsewhere means a huge bounce-back season for Riley which would quiet a lot of his doubters.