Feb. 05--Illinois closed out its recruiting season with a few home runs.
The Illini added some late gems to the class of 2015 rated No. 45 nationally and No. 7 in the Big Ten by 247sports.com. The team was projected on Wednesday morning to finish 53rd and 10th, respectively.
Their rating improved on national signing day, when recruits can send in their letters of intent, when they landed a few athletes who still were making their final decisions in the morning.
Defensive tackle Jamal Milan, a three-star recruit from Raby High, picked Illinois over offers from Minnesota, Indiana and Iowa State.
Ke'Shawn Vaughn, a four-star running back from Nashville, Tenn., then picked Illinois over West Virginia, Louisville and Purdue. His high school teammate, cornerback Cameron Watkins, picked the Illini over Vanderbilt.
"They understand they have a great opportunity here," Illinois coach Tim Beckman said. "Last night wasn't much of a sleep night for anyone, (but) we had a good feeling. What these young men are seeing is they're going to get taken care of."
Last season's recruiting class was ranked by 247sports.com as No. 72 nationally and 14th in the Big Ten. The 2013 class was rated No. 57 nationally and 11th in the league.
If there was ever a year for Beckman to swing for the fences in recruiting, this was it.
Coming off his first bowl game appearance -- a loss to Louisiana Tech in the Heart of Dallas Bowl -- was a positive as was winning six games despite finishing with a 6-7 record.
Beckman was able to sell recruits on progress that he said paid off.
"Winning," Beckman said. "It all goes hand in hand. (Recruits understand) we can win some games if we join them."
Illinois' class of 24 signees also included four-star offensive lineman Gabe Megginson, a 6-foot-5, 295-pound tackle from downstate Jacksonville High School.
Megginson was one of six signed offensive linemen, an area the Illini need to shore up. He joined center Zach Heath from American River (Calif.) Community College, tackle Zeke Martin from Medina, Ohio, tackle Adam Solomon from Indianapolis, guard Connor Brennan from City College of San Francisco and tackle Jordan Fagan from Grossmont (Calif.) College.
Besides Milan, Illinois also landed Chicago-area recruits Patrick Nelson, a defensive back from Hales Franciscan, and tight end Caleb Reams from Warren High School.
DeKalb's Dre Brown, a three-star running back, and quarterback Jimmy Fitzgerald, out of Centennial High in Champaign, also signed.
Beckman and recruiting coordinator Alex Golesh commended early enrollees for helping haul in other recruits with raves about their experiences so far in Champaign.
"I'm going to throw some credit back to our kids who are working their tails off," Golesh said. "They know who we are recruiting because it's so public. They're selling what they already have seen. It's a family atmosphere, a chance to play in the Big Ten and (play for an) up-and-coming program."
The Illini saw one player who was on the fence choose otherwise. Linebacker Dominic Sheppard of Miami, who was considering Illinois, signed with Virginia.
Former Illinois commitment A.D. Miller, a receiver from Dallas, signed with Oklahoma.
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