Four-star senior Zakhari Franklin, the NCAA’s active leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns is the newest addition to the 2024 Illinois football team. Franklin played four seasons at the University of Texas at San Antonio as well as an additional year at the University of Mississippi.
Franklin is entering the program with 266 receptions, 3,386 receiving yards and 38 receiving touchdowns. Franklin’s impressive collegiate career is likely to make him an asset to the Illini after the receiving corps lost their two leading playmakers to the NFL draft last year — Isaiah Williams and Casey Washington, who play for the Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons respectively.
Taking advantage of NCAA eligibility rules, which now include a COVID-19 redshirt as well as a rule that allows redshirts to play in four games while maintaining an extra year of eligibility, Franklin will join the Illini to play his sixth college season this fall.
Leaving an impressive record behind at UTSA, Franklin holds the school’s all-time record for receiving touchdowns, as well as being second all-time in receptions and receiving yards.
Head Coach Bret Bielema shared his thoughts on Franklin joining the team in an article first reported on the Illinois Athletics website. He also mentioned the Illini’s offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., who served as the assistant head coach for UTSA in 2020 and 2021.
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
“Zakhari is a dynamic wide receiver that will instantly impact our offense,” Bielema said. “We are excited to reunite Zakhari and Barry Lunney after they had two highly productive seasons together in the past.”
