There are plenty of coaching changes that are going around the college landscape, and thankfully, the Illinois football team has one of the most stable situations in the country.
Bret Bielema is doing a great job retaining his coaching staff while also retaining talent. The transfer portal has done little damage to the Illini so far this offseason, and many teams can’t say the same.
In the past few days, hundreds of players have entered the transfer portal, and just this weekend, a legacy Illinois football player was one of the names that entered the mix.
On Wednesday, Hayes Fawcett of On3.com reported on social media that Eugene Wilson III intends to enter his name into the transfer portal.
Florida WR Eugene “Tre” Wilson III is entering the @TransferPortal, he tells @On3Sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 24, 2025
In his time with the Gators he totaled 1,043 yards and 10 TDhttps://t.co/RlUbB6EMhS pic.twitter.com/odlh5vm1HV
Wilson has spent three seasons at Florida, where he amassed 107 receptions for 1,043 yards and 10 touchdowns with some of the worst quarterback play in the SEC. With one year left, he is now looking for a new home.
According to numerous reports, Texas Tech is the team that seems to be the frontrunner for Wilson right now, but this could be a nice addition to the Illinois football team if Bielema and the program pursue the talented pass-catcher.
Illinois football has a history with the Eugene Wilson name, and could use him for another great run
Coming out of Gaither High School in Florida, Wilson was a four-star recruit and the No. 109 player in the class of 2023. He was also the No. 16 wide receiver in the country and the No. 27 player coming out of Florida.
Wilson had all of the big names after him the first time around, but he landed with the Gators.
I don’t have a ton of hope when it comes to Wilson’s recruitment, but it is also worth noting when a legacy Illinois football player enters the transfer portal.
Wilson’s dad, Eugene Wilson, played for Illinois in the early and mid-2000s. He was a great defensive back for the Illini, amassing 176 tackles, 60 pass breakups, and 11 interceptions while being an All-American and making the All-Big Ten team twice.
While Illinois has some good options at wide receiver, like Justin Bowick, Brayden Trimble, Collin Dixon, and Hudson Clement, among others, I would love to add another talented playmaker. It would be fun to see another Eugene Wilson in Champaign, too.