Isaiah Williams signs with Illinois

How could you not be excited?

Four-star athlete Isaiah Williams signed with Illinois during the Early Signing Period on Wednesday.

Williams was one of the first to get on board in the 2019 class, committing back in March to the program.

Williams is listed at 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, but don’t let his size fool you. This signing could be a program-changer for head coach Lovie Smith and Illinois. Williams is ranked as the No. 1 player in Missouri, the 5th-best athlete in the country, and the 109th-best player overall.

He chose the Illini over various top-tier programs, including Alabama, Michigan, Clemson, and 60 other FBS schools.

The St. Louis product — and soon-to-be Trinity Catholic High School graduate, who won a state championship this season — threw for almost 2,400 yards, 32 touchdowns, and only three interceptions, while running for over 1,000 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.

Despite his stature, Williams has already proved he can compete with the best in the country. An Elite 11 participant, he possesses great vision and decision-making, and his ability to create plays with his feet will be an invaluable tool for evil genius Rod Smith.

Current Illinois Tight Ends Coach Cory Patterson played a large part in Williams’ decision. In fact, Patterson has coached the quarterback almost his entire playing career and the duo will look to build on their success in the coming years.

Four-star linebacker and teammate Shammond Cooper is another priority Illinois target, and he will announce his decision during the Under Armour All-America Game on Jan. 3, where Williams will also be competing.

Williams will step into a wide-open quarterback battle this offseason, but he’s already the favorite coming in. With AJ Bush graduating and two freshmen with no more than four games experience, Williams will have the keys to the offense from the get-go, likely only having to beat out MJ Rivers.

Lovie hooked a big fish with Williams. Now we’ll see if he can surround his promising, young quarterback with some pieces.

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