At long last, Lovie Smith has landed a premier linebacker prospect.

Four-star St. Louis (Mo.) Trinity Catholic linebacker Shammond Cooper announced his commitment to Illinois on Thursday during the Under Armour All-American Game.

Cooper had told the Illini staff prior to his nationally televised announcement on ESPN2 just before kickoff of the showcase game.

“(They were) Really excited, I would say really excited, you know,” Cooper told 247Sports’ Luke Stampini. “I told them to keep it down, you know.”

Cooper, the No. 293 prospect in the country in the Class of 2019 composite rankings, chose Illinois over an impressive list of more than 30 power-five scholarship offers, which included Oklahoma, Clemson, Notre Dame, Florida State, Texas, Ohio State and several others. Illinois made Cooper's final four along with Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas.

Meanwhile, Florida State has pushed to bring in Cooper on an official visit later this month, prior to the start of the next signing period on Feb. 6.

“I like the familyhood (at Illinois),” Cooper told 247Sports’ Luke Stampini. “You know, just being there and being comfortable around the program, being comfortable knowing my way around the stadium and where the locker room is. I just like the relationships I’ve built with Coach Lovie [Smith] and whoever they bring in as the defensive coordinator, I hope I can build a relationship with them too.”

Cooper is the third 4-star Class of 2019 prospect to commit to the Illini, joining Trinity Catholic teammate Isaiah Williams and top-100 Texas athlete Marquez Beason, who both signed with the Illini in December.

Cooper also will rejoin Cory Patterson, the former Trinity coach whom Lovie Smith hired as tight ends coach last year.

“It helped them a lot really," Cooper told 247Sports. "If Coach Cory [Patterson] wasn’t there, I would consider them, but not as hard as I am now. Just knowing someone that has genuine love, I know they may love me as a recruit, but Coach Cory loves me as a person.”

“At first, I was kind of upset that he left a year early," Cooper told Illini Inquirer in March. “I knew he was going to get a coaching job, but I thought it’d be after we (the Class of 2019) left. But this is actually better because it gives us insight into the program. It’s like he’s a year ahead, so we already know, if we end up going, what we’ll be experiencing."

Cooper took almost double-digit visits to Illinois during the past two years, compared to just a few visits to Missouri and one visit to Oklahoma.

Twice last month, about half the Illini staff visited Cooper in his home in late December. On the second visit, Lovie Smith, Patterson, offensive coordinator Rod Smith, running backs coach Thad Ward, defensive line coach Austin Clark and interim linebackers coach Robert Wright all visited with Cooper's family. The staff put the Butkus Trophy, given to the nation's best linebacker, at the middle of the dinner table.

Cooper is a big win for an Illini staff that missed on its top linebacker targets in the Class of 2018, including 4-star prospects Dele Adeoye and Merlin Robertson. Cooper is a long, athletic, physical presence in the middle of the defense, who could compete right away for playing time.

As a senior, Cooper helped lead the Titans to a Missouri Class 3A state title last month, finishing his senior season with 137 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks As a junior, Cooper in eight games totaled 77 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and an interception. As a sophomore, he totaled 141 tackles, 4.0 sacks and an interception in 13 games.

A premier linebacker finally bought the strong sell from Smith, who has coached two Hall of Fame linebackers and several Pro Bowlers at the position.

“They say, ‘Come learn from the best,’” Cooper told Illini Inquirer last year. “They’ve been at such a high level. They’ve done it at the next level, so I can go learn from NFL teaching at the next level. That’s amazing"