Football

Fmr. Loyola Academy three-star prospect Connor Sullivan is returning home after accepting an offer out of the transfer portal with

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 11, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois head coach Bret Bielema repeatedly has said publicly that he and his player personnel staff keep files on several Illinois native players who decided to start their collegiate careers out of the state.

Bielema’s stated purpose of these long-term files is to keep tabs on players who might one day decide to leave their first university for an opportunity to return their home state via the transfer portal. Welcome to the story of Connor Sullivan.

Sullivan, a 6-foot-4 and 270-pound defensive lineman with four years of eligibility, was a three-star prospect at the dominant Loyola Academy football program in Wilmette, Illinois where he registered 54 total tackles with 12 tackles for loss and five sacks in his junior season of 2023. Sullivan suffered a season-ending injury preventing him from participating in the 2024 season and before he was able to sign to play at Washington State.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

January 10, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Brian O'Mahoney/News-Sun)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema has steadily elevated the Illini’s perception both on the recruiting trail and on the field.

That progress has translated into the ability to attract high-profile prospects, particularly at the skill positions, as Illinois continues to modernize its offensive identity.

One position that remains a clear point of emphasis is tight end. Illinois has evaluated and pursued several in-state and nationally ranked tight ends, but the results have not yet matched the staff’s ambitions. Bielema and tight ends coach Robby Discher have stayed aggressive, continuing to search for a difference-maker who can anchor the position long term.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 9, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Colorado State Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois linebackers coach Archie McDaniel has gone to a proven place where he’s found talent in his position group.

Robert Edmonson Jr., who has spent the last three seasons at Prairie View A&M and Colorado State, has agreed to bring his veteran experience to the Illinois middle linebacker group for the 2026 season. However, before he’s started his college football journey in the Southwest Athletic Conference, Edmonson Jr. was all-state selection out of Shadow Creek High School in Pearland, Texas. The Pearland area is just 21 miles south of Houston where McDaniel spent the previous three seasons with the Cougars program before Bielema hired him away to the Illini staff before the 2024 season.

Under McDaniel's guidance, senior linebacker Donavan Mutin led Houston with 85 tackles during the 2022 season. The Spring, Texas, native capped his career with 252 tackles. Mutin's 245 tackles from 2019 to 2022 ranked seventh among all American Athletic Conference linebackers.

Linebackers Mannie Nunnery and Jamal Morris also turned in strong sophomore campaigns in 2022. Nunnery's 74.2 overall defensive grade by Pro Football Focus ranked second among American Athletic Conference underclassmen linebackers. He also paced the league's underclassmen with a 78.2 coverage grade. Morris was key for the Cougars down the stretch, totaling 10 tackles against SMU on Nov. 5 and eight tackles in Houston's Independence Bowl victory against Louisiana.

Illinois signs former Georgia State and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College cornerback Damaryion ‘Deuce’ Fillmore for his final year of eligibility in 2026.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 9, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois has found a veteran cornerback in the transfer portal to provide depth in their defensive secondary in form of Damaryion Fillmore.

Fillmore, who goes by ‘Deuce’ and is listed 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, started in all 12 games this past season for Georgia State where he recorded 39 tackles and three pass breakups. Fillmore arrived at Georgia State after playing two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, which has a relationship with Illini coaches after signing former Illini offensive lineman Zy Crisler - who started 36 games for Illinois from 2022-24.

Fillmore joins East Texas A&M cornerback Lavon Williams as defensive backs that Illinois has signed out of the transfer portal in this offseason window from Jan. 2 to Jan. 16. Fillmore is expected to compete for the starting cornerback spot opposite of Jaheim Clarke and/or the nickel spot with returning defensive back Tanner Heckel and junior college signee Jakwon Morris.

Fillmore had 37 tackles and three interceptions in 10 games played at Gulf Coast Community College, which is what got him several FBS offers from Sun Belt Conference, Conference USA and Mid-American Conference schools.

Fillmore’s film at Georgia State in the 2025 season had to

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

January 9, 2026

Now that we're getting some clarity on who's coming and going in the portal, It finally seems safe to start writing about the newcomers. The first player to commit to Illinois from the portal this year is a guy who I really like. The staff made Lavon Williams of East Texas A&M a priority and he was on campus as soon as the starting gun for portal season went off. Williams came to East Texas A&M as a corner/safety and though he had virtually no interest coming out of high school, he's turned himself into a player that several P4 teams wanted out of the portal. In fact, East Texas A&M wasn't even in Division I when Williams committed, so you could argue that Williams is jumping two levels during his college career.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

January 9, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema and his staff have been aggressive in this year’s portal, which officially opened Jan. 2 and will close next Friday and roughly 3,000 players nationwide are searching for a new destination for the 2026 season.

Teams participating in the College Football Playoff national championship game will receive an extension from Jan. 20th through Jan. 24.

Former Florida International wide receiver Alex Perry is likely expected to find a regular role in the Illini’s three-WR offense in 2026 with expected returnees Collin Dixon and Hudson Clement. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 8, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois coaching and personnel staff is hopeful they’ve found another highly productive wide receiver from a non-power conference program.

Alex Perry has verbally agreed to play his fifth and final season of college football at Illinois as a graduate transfer. Perry, a first-team All-Conference USA selection, will be expected to find an immediate role this spring with projected returning starters Collin Dixon and Hudson Clement. Perry led FIU in receptions (56), yards (840) and touchdowns (nine) in Willie Simmons’ first season with the Golden Panthers program that became bowl eligible for the first time since 2019. 

Perry, a 6-foot-5 and 210-pound target, scored touchdowns in five consecutive weeks to end the regular season and the Port Charlotte, Fla., native led Conference USA in receiving yards (706) and receiving touchdowns (8) in conference play. His nine receiving touchdowns in the 2025 season are tied second-most in a season in FIU program history. In an offense that ranked just 87th amongst 136 Football Bowl Subdivision program, Perry had 14 receptions of 20 yards or more in the 2025 season. 

25-year-old edge rusher/linebacker William Holmes has agreed to transfer to Illinois after producing 45 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks at Utah State in 2025.

By Matt Stevens - Football Writer/Analyst

January 8, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The mantra of Illinois head coach Bret Bielema to get old and stay old with your player roster has now been taken to a new level inside the Smith Family Football Complex in Champaign after the acquisition of William Holmes.

Holmes, who is a 25-year-old finishing just his second year of organized football, has signed a contract to play linebacker at Illinois for the 2026 season after completing two years at Utah State. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound athlete produced 45 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in his first season playing for Utah State head coach Bronco Mendenhall in a 2025 campaign that ended with the Aggies winning six regular season games and qualifying for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Ty Robinson will be using his sixth and final year of eligibility to hopeful gamble on the idea that the 2026 campaign will be his most healthy and productive in college. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 7, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Ball State Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois coaches and personnel staff have found themselves taking a flier on a 6-foot-4 receiver with an extensive injury history. 

Ball State transfer wide receiver Ty Robinson has given a verbal pledge to Illinois for the 2026 season, which will be his sixth and last year of  eligibility. 

Robinson, who had 11 receptions for 113 yards in the 2025 season for Ball State, will be arriving at Illinois as a graduate transfer after spending his first two seasons at Colorado under then-head coach Karl Dorrell and then his last three seasons at Ball State.  

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

January 7, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy UTRGV Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The days of watching favorite college players stay in one place for four years are quickly fading. Roster movement has become the norm across the country, and Illinois is no exception.

Three years ago, Illinois coach Bret Bielema took pride in maintaining roster stability with minimal turnover. That landscape has shifted. Like programs nationwide, the Illini have seen players enter the transfer portal while others look to bring their talents to Champaign and compete at Gies Memorial Stadium next season.

Illinois has already secured what it believes will be the centerpiece of its offense next season in quarterback Katin Houser. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound transfer from East Carolina is expected to lead the Illini under center, and his arrival has added momentum to Illinois’ efforts in reshaping its offense.

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular January 6, 2025 It's […]

Former Florida Atlantic wide receiver and kick returner Jayshon Platt is hopeful to be the deep threat in Barry Lunney Jr’s Illinois offensive scheme in the 2026 season. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 5, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Florida Atlantic Press/Keira Arimenta

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In his final collegiate season, Jayshon Platt is about to find out if his track speed can translate against Big Ten Conference defenses. 

The former Florida Atlantic wide receiver and kick return specialist has elected to join a competitive wide receiver room at Illinois after producing 46 receptions for 720 yards and five touchdowns last season for the Owls program, along with three rushes for 36 yards and a touchdown. CBS Sports college football reporter Matt Zenitz and 247Sports.com/CBS Sports reporter Chris Hummer were the first to report this news Monday evening. 

Platt, who will turn 22 years old on Jan. 12, is hopeful he can find the opportunity of deep throws from the Illini’s new transfer portal quarterback Katin Houser starting with spring practices in a few months.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound receiver had a breakout campaign in 2025 as FAU was in the midst of a first-year head coaching operation led by former Texas Tech offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Zach Kittley’s ‘Air Raid’ offensive style. The FAU was normally in a wide-open passing attack 10 personnel (four receivers, one tailback and no tight end) allowing more opportunities for outside receivers such as Platt. 

Former Colorado State offensive tackle Christian Martin will be expected to compete for a starting spot at either open tackle spot for the Illini starting this spring. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 5, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's social media page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Christian Martin was prioritized as the top target out of the transfer portal for Illinois offensive line coach Bart Miller and the former Colorado State offensive tackle felt wanted enough that he canceled his previously scheduled official visits with power conference programs.

Martin, who started all 12 games this past season for a Colorado State squad that finished with a disappointing 2-10 overall record, will be given the opportunity to fill the open slots at both tackle spots in the Illinois offensive line as J.C. Davis and Melvin Priestly’s eligibility ended at the end of the 2025 campaign. 

Martin, a 6-foot-6, 300-pound athlete who has two seasons of college eligibility remaining, will likely be challenged by both of the Knapik brothers who transferred into the Illini program before the start of the 2025 season. Nathan Knapik, who is the younger of the Knapik pair, recently got his first collegiate start in an encouraging performance in Illinois’ 30-28 win over Tennessee in the 2025 Music City Bowl. Aidan Knapik, who was always planned to be reshirted in 2025 in order to be eligible to start in 2026, is expected to be fully healthy and medically cleared for the start of spring practices in a few months. Also, Illinois is expected to give a serious look at four-star 2026 offensive tackle signee Micah ‘Champ’ Smith, who chose the Illini in December after flipping his UCLA verbal commitment and declining serious recruiting interest from Ohio State, Miami (Fla.), Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Penn State. 

Illinois safety Matthew Bailey has elected to pass on the 2026 National Football League Draft in order for one final season of college football in Champaign-Urbana.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

January 5, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Matthew Bailey has decided the National Football League can wait one more season. 

The Illinois safety announced on social media Monday evening that he’ll be on the Illini’s 2026 roster and has passed on putting his name in the upcoming NFL Draft. Bailey has 27 career starts at safety and produced games 185 career tackles six career tackles for loss and four career interceptions. 

Bailey’s experience is a welcome sight for an Illini defensive backfield that will see massive changes as Illinois coaches have already acquired East Texas A&M defensive back Lavon Williams out of the transfer portal this past weekend. Illinois also signed highly acclaimed junior college prospect Jakwon Morris. The Illini also got returning news in the form of outside cornerback Jaheim Clarke. 

Former Cincinnati and Wisconsin center Jake Renfro, who already has 36 starts at the Football Bowl Subdivision level, will likely take over the middle of the Illinois offensive line in 2026.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

(Cover photo courtesy University of Wisconsin Athletics)

January 5, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois has hit the transfer portal for its likely starting center in the upcoming 2026 season. 

Former Wisconsin and Cincinnati center Jake Renfro has elected to his medical hardship waiver finish his collegiate career for his seventh season in his home state by verbally pledging to play at Illinois. Renfro, an All-American Conference first team selection in 2021 in his first and only season as a starter for Cincinnati (a Group of Four program that qualified for the four-team College Football Playoff bracket) is a 6-foot-4, 313-pound offensive lineman with 36 starts at the Football Bowl Subdivision level before his expected arrival in Champaign-Urbana in January. 

When Luke Fickell left Cincinnati to take the head coaching opening at Wisconsin before the start of the 2022 season, Renfro eventually followed his coach to Madison the next season to be the Badgers starting center. However, a severe injury at Cincinnati before the start of the 2022 season derailed Renfro’s progress and he sat out nearly every game of the 2022 and 2023 season. 

Renfro, a sixth-year senior in the 2025 season, was honored in Madison in November before the ‘Senior Night’ victory over Illinois but he had already suffered a season-ending injury, played in just four games after having surgery to correct a lower-body injury.