Isiah Williams gave Ron Zook a headline-grabbing, potential program-changing quarterback in the Class of 2006. Thirteen years later, Isaiah Williams potentially gives Lovie Smith a similar landmark addition.

The 5-star St. Louis (Mo.) Trinity Catholic quarterback -- ranked in the composite rankings as the No. 28 overall prospect in the Class of 2019 -- verbally committed to Illinois on Friday, giving Illinois its highest-ranked quarterback commit since Isiah Williams and its highest-ranked commit since 2007 (Arrelious Benn and Martez Wilson were top-15 overall prospects).

Williams chose the Illini over more than 60 FBS offers that included some of the most prestigious programs in the country, including Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Florida State, Notre Dame, Texas and countless others.

“Since the first day I met the coaches since freshman year, we just clicked,” Williams told Illini Inquirer this month. “Sometimes, relationships like that don’t last. But here they do. I got a good relationship with Coach Lovie, and the whole staff. It just shows that you’ve got someone who cares for you. Coach Patterson has been like a father-figure for me since I was six. I stayed with him from time to time. He got me into schools.”

Williams and top-100 Dallas (Texas) Bishop Dunne athlete Marquez Beason are the highest-ranked pair of prospects Illinois has landed in one class since Benn and Wilson.

“We talk almost every day,” Williams said. “He’s like my brother. First and foremost, he’s a leader and a baller. From the times I’ve watched him, he’s a savage. He can ball. That’s one thing he’s going to bring. He’s going to bring other players with him. He’s just a different type of player.”

Williams will rejoin Cory Patterson, the former Trinity coach whom Lovie Smith hired as tight ends coach last month, at Illinois. The Illini hope many of his other nine teammates with power-five offers, who visited with him this weekend, also will join him in Champaign.

"It's just great knowing that we got somebody you can count on and somebody you know that's got your back," Williams said after a February unofficial visit to Champaign.

Illinois was one of just a few programs recruiting him as a quarterback, which Williams wants to play in college. Williams also has an accurate, strong arm. Couple with his running ability, Williams is a potential dynamic quarterback at the next level, despite his height. Trinity ran a similar spread offense to new Illinois offensive coordinator Rod Smith, who recruited short 3-star quarterback Matthew Robinson in the Class of 2018.

“I love that offense,” Williams said. “That’s how I’ve been playing my whole life, from little league, up until high school. I’ve been playing fast. I love that challenge of getting to the next play quick.

Williams certainly is one of the most dangerous prep quarterbacks in the Midwest. In eight games as a junior, Williams completed 61.5 percent of his passes for 1,898 yards, 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also ran for 383 yards (9.1 yards per carry) and two touchdowns.

“I love playing quarterback and having the ball in my hands. It’s just like a job. If your boss needs you to do something, you do it. I’d never tell a coach that I don’t want to play anything else. If that’s what he wants me to play, I’ll play it. I love playing quarterback, but I’m open to whatever.”

Williams is the unquestioned leader of Trinity, which is loaded with power-five prospects. Including Williams, Illinois has offered 10 Titans players and is hoping to start a pipeline. They locked onto Williams as the pied piper who could start the flow to Champaign.

“One thing is we might get a chance to all play together again,” Williams said last fall. “That’s something that we really want to look into. We don’t talk about it a lot, but it’s something that’s always in the back of our minds. ... We could do the same thing we did with Trinity. It’s very appealing.”

Now, Williams -- who wears No. 1 -- likely will turn into one of the Illini's top recruiters.

“If I go somewhere, I’m trying to get my guys to come with me,” Williams said last fall.