On Thursday, the Illinois Fighting Illini secured its best recruit when they received a commitment from four-star linebacker Cam Thomas of West Chester Lakota West in Ohio. Thomas becomes the Illinis’ eighth commitment in the 2026 class and the second four-star commitment from Ohio.
Illinois Lands 4-Star LB Cam Thomas
Thomas selected Illinois from a group of schools, including Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Oregon, and West Virginia. He explained his decision in a recent interview with On3.
“It has a lot of things that I like,” Thomas explained. “They are a great school in Business and Finance. That was important because that is the field I want to go into.
“I like the vibe around the campus, too. It is beautiful. I feel comfortable with the coaches, my family likes the staff, and I see a great chance to compete for playing time,” he finished.
This is Illinois’ second top 250 recruit of the week, leading to a bright future for the program. The addition of highly skilled players like Thomas will strengthen the Illini’s defensive front ahead of 2025.
According to 24/7 Sports, Thomas is a four-star recruit, ranking as the No. 24 linebacker in the class and No. 14 overall recruit in Ohio.
This past season of preps play, Thomas was named to the Southwest Ohio Division 1 All-Defense Team and the First Team All-GMC Defense after posting 74 tackles, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
At Illinois, Thomas will play alongside linebacker Grant Beerman, a 2025 Illinois signee and former Lakota West teammate.
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After signing Thomas and outstanding prep cornerback Victor Singleton in less than a week, Illinois’ 2026 class is now ranked among the top 20 in the nation. The Illinois coaching staff and fans are excited about Thomas’ impact. They believe that his talent and determination will help the team succeed in a very competitive Big Ten.
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