It's official: Last year's top-ranked prospect in the state of Illinois is coming home.
Tight end Luke Ford, the consensus No. 1 in-state prospect in 2018, signed a Big Ten Tender of Financial Aid and plans to enroll for classes at Illinois this spring, head coach Lovie Smith announced Tuesday afternoon.
Ford will seek immediate eligibility and request a waiver from the NCAA's rule requiring athletes who transfer to sit out a year before playing at their new school — same as recent Miami transfer Jeff Thomas.
The 6-foot-6, 252-pound Ford played will have three years of eligibility remaining after spending his freshman season at Georgia.