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Illinois Football: 5 Illini players who benefit the most from a fall season

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL. - NOVEMBER 30: The Fighting Illini take the field before a Big Ten Conference college football game between the Northwestern Wildcats and the IIllinois Fighting Illini on November 30, 2019, at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL. Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL. - NOVEMBER 30: The Fighting Illini take the field before a Big Ten Conference college football game between the Northwestern Wildcats and the IIllinois Fighting Illini on November 30, 2019, at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL. Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Illinois quarterback Brandon Peters (18) attempts a pass against Connecticut at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn., on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019. Illinois won, 31-23. (Brad Horrigan/Hartford Courant/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) /

3. Brandon Peters

There are a couple of players like Josh Imatorbhebhe on the Illinois football roster. Brandon Peters is in the same boat as Imatorbhebhe as far as the importance of the 2020 season being played in the fall.

Peters’ career hasn’t gone the way he most likely wanted it to go. Heralded as a top quarterback in the class of 2016, Peters decided to pick Michigan over a plethora of other programs that were vying for his commitment.

After a redshirt year with the Wolverines, Peters saw limited game action, only throwing for 680 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions during his time with Michigan. With two years of eligibility remaining and having already graduated, Peters looked for a new home.

Peters decided to stay close to home and in the Big Ten when he picked Illinois as his final landing spot. The Illini were in need of an experienced quarterback as well. In his first year with the Orange and Blue, Peters threw for 1,884 yards, 18 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Easily his best season under center, the talented Indiana native is looking to build on those numbers.

I believe it is important for Peters to play football this fall. He is another player who has the potential to get picked in the 2021 NFL Draft. I don’t think he would be picked if the draft happened today, so that means he wouldn’t have been picked if Illinois played in the spring.

But with the fall season getting the green light, Peters now has a chance to show off his talents for NFL scouts. He has a full team around him with a ton of talent. It wouldn’t shock me to see Peters put up big numbers this fall and then creep up the NFL Draft board as one of the best 10 quarterbacks in 2021.

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