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Illinois football offensive line transfer portal wish list 1.0

By Rees Woodcock

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JULY 26: An Illinois Fighting Illini helmet is seen at Big Ten football media days at Lucas Oil Stadium on July 26, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JULY 26: An Illinois Fighting Illini helmet is seen at Big Ten football media days at Lucas Oil Stadium on July 26, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Illinois football
Nov 18, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema reacts during the second quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /

Now that the Illinois football season is over, it is time to take a look at the holes in the roster.

With the transfer portal heating up, the Illini need to be on top of some of the players who have already entered their names into the transfer portal. There are already plenty of talented players looking for a new home.

Illinois’ offensive line struggled greatly in 2023. So, I think the first order of business for the Illini coaching staff is retooling the front five on the offensive side of the ball. While there are going to be other offensive linemen entering the transfer portal, I like some of the options that are out there right now.

Here is the Illinois football offensive line transfer portal wish list 1.0

Illinois needs to hit the immediate upgrade button when it comes to the offensive tackle positions. These two positions were some of the weakest on the team in 2023.

I believe going after someone like Carter Smith would be great for the Orange and Blue. Smith entered the transfer portal after Indiana fired head coach Tom Allen.

Smith was a four-star recruit who was ranked as the No. 207 player in the class of 2022. He redshirted in 2022 and then played a lot for the Hoosiers this past season. His lowest snap count this season was in the first game for the Hoosiers when Smith played 48 snaps.

I love the experience Smith has had in his young career. He also had a quality first season. Smith had a Pro Football Focus grade of 68.6, which ranked No. 157 out of 646 offensive tackles. What caught my eye about Smith was his pass-blocking grade of 67.8. That would be higher than any Illinois offensive lineman this past season.

Landing Smith won’t be easy. I imagine a lot of programs will be after his services. Illinois can offer him a starting job from day one, though. Smith is definitely at the top of my wish list.

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