Coleman Hawkins decided to end his recruitment and play for Brad Underwood and the Illini. The two other programs who received official visits were Rutgers and San Diego State, but the Illinois coaching staff put together a great pitch and landed the talented big man.
This was a commitment for the Illini that doesn’t seem huge on paper, but it is going to be huge for the team over the next couple of seasons. Illinois is so thin at the No. 4 and No. 5 spots when the 2020-2021 season comes around. The fact we were able to land a player like Hawkins will help fill the massive voids we will have on the team.