Illinois football still has plenty of work left to do this season to call it a success.
Expectations have been elevated quite a bit over the past year. The Illini won 10 games, which included a bowl game, last season. So, in 2025, the expectations were the College Football Playoff. That isn’t going to happen, but no Illinois fan can complain about another 10-win campaign if it happens again.
While the 2025 season is still being buttoned up, Bret Bielema is also working to mold his 2026 squad. One of the massive issues that everyone can already see is the offensive line. Well, on Tuesday, Bielema landed a big-time player to help the cause.
Alfred Washington took to social media to announce that he has committed to Illinois. He picked the Illini over 18 other programs and is a huge addition to the team.
HOME!!!!🤞🏾🧡🤍#LLMYGRANDDAD!! pic.twitter.com/c7D2xfiddN
— Alfred “Zilla” Washington ✪ #3 Juco OT (@GlassbabyAlfred) November 18, 2025
Washington is a 6-foot-5, 290-pound offensive tackle from Northeast Mississippi Community College, but is located in Florida. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 25 junior college player in the nation. He is also the No. 4 JUCO offensive tackle in the country and the No. 10 JUCO player coming out of Florida.
Bret Bielema needed the Alfred Washington commitment to help bolster the offensive line
The Illinois offensive line heading into 2026 was looking pretty scattered. Right now, the Illini struggle with the offensive line, but we are losing four out of the five starters after the season concludes.
Brandon Henderson is the only projected returning offensive lineman, and he has been rated as the worst blocker this program has. That means Illinois needs to find some serious help for 2026.
Washington will help replace either JC Davis or Melvin Priestly. Both offensive tackles will be departing, and Washington at least has some higher-than-high school experience.
Bielema is nowhere near finished, though. I fully expect Illinois to bring in almost an entirely new cast on the offensive line for next season. We are only just beginning the additions, and we haven’t even hit the offseason.