Illinois Football: Pat Bryant is a big target the Illini have been missing

The Illinois football offense has some things to write home about this season for the first time in a long time.

Chase Brown is taking the headlines for the Illini right now. He is on a tear that could end up having him break the single-season rushing record for the Orange and Blue. His “bad” games are where he just gets over the 100-yard mark. That is how impressive he has been this season.

I would argue there are multiple players on the offensive side of the ball who have done some great things this season, though. One of those players is wide receiver, Pat Bryant.

Coming out of Atlantic Coast High School in Florida, Bryant was the No. 1057 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 147 wide receiver in the nation. Bryant would pick Illinois over other big-time programs. The biggest thing for me is that he stuck with that commitment even when times got rough for the Orange and Blue.

Pat Bryant stayed with the Illinois football program despite some adversity.

Bryant would commit to Illinois back in June 2020. Lovie Smith was still the head coach at the time. After a weird and disappointing 2020 campaign, Lovie was fired and a new regime took over in Bret Bielema.

This was a chance for Bryant to start anew. He could have backed away from his commitment after this coaching change, but what does Bryant do instead? He signs his letter of intent to join the Illinois football program on December 16. The Illini didn’t have a head coach at the time. This was three days after Lovie was fired and three days before Bret Bielema would officially be announced as the next person in charge.

The 6-foot-3 wide receiver would finish his first season in Champaign with six receptions for 98 yards. This sometimes spells a transfer in the making with an unsure quarterback situation and a head coach you didn’t originally commit to. But not with Bryant.

Bryant continued to stick with Illinois. He has been through some interesting turmoil with the program, but he remains strong with the Orange and Blue. That dedication is paying off this season.

Through four games of the 2022 campaign, Bryant has over doubled his receptions and nearly tripled his yardage from 2021. He currently sits with 13 receptions for 259 yards and two touchdowns. His receptions and yards are both second on the team.

The talent Bryant has displayed on the field is also getting some national attention. According to Pro Football Focus College, Bryant was the highest-graded power-five wide receiver in week four.

Bryant isn’t just a great wide receiver either. He is actually the playmaker Illinois has been missing for quite some time. He is a wide receiver who can help the offense push the ball down the field.

As of right now, Bryant is averaging 19.9 yards per reception, which is No. 1 on the team. He also ranks No. 26 in the country in yards per reception. Illinois fans haven’t seen this type of big-play ability in quite some time either.

To find the last pass catcher with at least 10 receptions in a season who averaged more than 19.9 yards per reception, you have to go back to the 2013 campaign. Ryan Lankford finished that season with 15 receptions for 308 yards, which came out to 20.5 yards per reception.

Before the season started, I remember saying that Illinois has one of the best offenses I have seen since the Kurt Kittner era. With Brown at running back and Bryant at wide receiver, I don’t think I am off with that statement. This Illinois offense is special.