To read about Illini recruit Daniel Easterly, click here.

Mark Wilson made the call. Then started to answer the text messages. About 1,000 of them. Until 2 in the morning.

The Tallahassee (Fla.) Lincoln linebacker committed to Illinois on Thursday night. He picked the Illini over Arkansas, Mississippi, South Florida and others.

Wilson said the chance to play early was one of the factors in his decision. He also likes the relationship he has developed with Illinois coach Ron Zook and co-defensive coordinator Dan Disch, who recruits Florida for the Illini.

"I have a good bond with those guys," Wilson said.

Wilson got a strong Zook recommendation from one of his coaches, Boo Williams, who played for Zook with the New Orleans Saints.

"He was telling me he was a great, great guy," Wilson said. "He cared about the players. He was a players' coach. Everyone I asked about (Zook), that's all they told me."

Lincoln has a strong football history. Six former Trojans are currently in the NFL, with a host of others in the past. In the last four years, Lincoln players have signed with Auburn, Florida State, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Nebraska, South Florida, Southern Cal, Stanford and others.

"That's the Lincoln tradition," Wilson said.

The distance from Tallahassee to Champaign-Urbana was a factor, Wilson said. But he weighed that against the relationship with the coaches, chance for early playing time and his familiarity with some of the players on the team.

"It would have been a hard decision," Wilson said. "But with me playing early and really getting to know the coaches the way I did, it really made it easy for me."

Wilson played against incoming freshman Andrew Carter. Wilson has gotten to know Illinois receiver A.J. Jenkins, who praised Illinois.

"Everything I asked, he gave me a straight up answer," Wilson said.

Besides football, Wilson has participated in wrestling, track and weight lifting at Lincoln.

"I'm a pretty active guy," Wilson said.

Florida State showed interest in Wilson. Growing up in Tallahassee, he is a longtime fan of the Seminoles.

"My coach was telling me there was a possibility I could have been offered," Wilson said. "FSU was always a school I dreamed of going to. But I'm not the type of guy who is going to lose sleep over it."

Now, Wilson, his family and friends will be rooting for Illinois. Many of them texted him Thursday night.

"There was a lot of congratulations," Wilson said. "It was nothing but love."