The St. Louis native was one of Illinois’ top secondary targets.

Big news for Fighting Illini football! Three-star cornerback/wide receiver Tony Adams (MO) announced his verbal commitment to the Orange and Blue on Friday night, opting away from the Missouri Tigers in the process. Adams was one of program’s top secondary targets, and he’s rated as the No. 1078 player in the country (No. 8 player from Missouri).

Adams has other scholarships on the table from Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Illinois State, North Dakota State, Wyoming, South Dakota, Southeast Missouri State, and Southern Illinois.

Illinois became Adams’ first Power 5 offer after he impressed coaches during a St. Louis satellite camp in June. Missouri followed suit shortly after, and it quickly became a two-horse race for the 6-foot, 184-pound athlete. This is a big win for Lovie Smith and his staff because it signifies one of their first head-to-head wins over another big program.

Adams is the second defensive back to commit to the program, joining three-star corner Antwan Collier. The Fighting Illini recruiting class now has eight verbal commitments, though it still ranks last in the Big Ten.

Tony Adams Highlights