Texas transfer Terrance Brooks on Illinois visit, Ole Miss' Zakhari Franklin set to arrive over weekend

Illinois is set to host a pair of high-profile transfer targets this weekend, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. Both Texas defensive back Terrance Brooks and Ole Miss wideout Zakhari Franklin are set to make the trip to Champaign.

Brooks is already on campus at Illinois.

Brooks was ranked as a five-star recruit and the No. 24 overall player in the country in the class of 2022, per the On3 rankings.

“I want to thank God, my family, and the Longhorn nation for everything. At this time I will be entering into the transfer portal,” Brooks posted on Twitter when he made his announcement.

Brooks was immediately a key contributor for the Longhorns after arriving in the class of 2022. He played in nine games and made three starts as a true freshman. The Little Elm, Texas native finished with nine tackles and three pass breakups that season.

As a sophomore in 2023, Terrance Brooks had a breakout year. He earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 honors after playing in 14 games and making 13 starts.

Brooks recorded 20 tackles, six pass breakups and three interceptions last season. The three interceptions tied for the team lead.

Franklin parts ways with the Ole Miss program following just one season in Oxford, redshirting last year after appearing in just four games for the Rebels where he recorded four catches for 38 yards and one touchdown.

Prior to his short stint with Ole Miss, Franklin was a four-year starter at UTSA. Where in five seasons he recorded 261 receptions for 3,348 and 37 touchdowns. Setting a multitude of program records and posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons before transferring to Ole Miss ahead of the 2023 season.

Franklin played high school football at Cedar Hill in Texas, where he was a three-star prospect. Ranked the No. 2,492 overall recruit and the No. 344 wide receiver in the 2019 cycle, according to On3’s Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

As a true freshman, Franklin caught 38 passes for 491 yards and three touchdowns, upping his production as a sophomore in his first full season as a starter where he earned All-Conference USA Honorable Mention honors after posting 48 receptions for 694 receiving yards and seven touchdowns despite missing two games.

His final two seasons in San Antonio would be where Franklin made his biggest mark for the Roadrunners, starting in 2021 where he was a First-Team All-Conference USA after becoming the program’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches. Ending the season with 81 receptions for 1,027 yards and 12 touchdowns, which were all single-season records that he would break the following year. Earning a First-Team All-Conference USA again after catching 93 passes for 1,137 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2022.

Landing one or both of Brooks and Franklin would be a major coup for Illinois.