For the third season in a row, Illinois needed to replace its leading receiver from the previous year. It felt like a no-brainer going into the 2026 season, though, because Collin Dixon is that guy and has proven himself so far in just two games.
Through two weeks, Dixon is by far the leading receiver for the Illini with 17 receptions for 236 receiving yards and five touchdowns. That is 10 more receptions and 165 more receiving yards than Hudson Clement. The only other player to catch a touchdown is Ty Robinson, who caught the Hail Mary before halftime of the UAB game.
Dixon's five touchdowns this season are tied for the national lead. On top of that, he is tied for fourth in receptions and ranked 13th in receiving yards. Again, we are only two weeks into the season.
Tied for the national lead. Five touchdowns, two games. pic.twitter.com/3hgbbQtpet
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) September 14, 2026
It was expected that Dixon would come in and be the top target for ECU transfer quarterback Katin Houser, but to see the stats this lopsided in favor of Dixon is eye-opening. The connection between the two is clearly strong, and Dixon has done the work to be the top receiver in Champaign.
Collin Dixon could follow in the footsteps of Illinois' past receiving leaders
In the Bret Bielema era, Illinois has sent some great talent to the NFL, especially in the pass-catching department. In the last three years, three players in particular have done well: Isiah Williams, who went undrafted but played a role for the New York Jets last season and into 2026, Pat Bryant, who was selected in the third round by the Denver Broncos, and Hank Beatty, who was also undrafted but signed by the Tennessee Titans.
All three of those guys led the Illini in receiving the season before heading to the NFL. Bryant, by far, is the most successful, as he carved out a significant role with the Broncos this season. Either way, Dixon has learned from the best at Illinois and could follow in their footsteps.
Dixon won't have the first half he did against Duke, with nine receptions for 135 yards and three touchdowns, often. That came after finishing with six receptions for 70 yards and two touchdowns against UAB. The Blue Devils did find an answer for Dixon, who was held to just 31 yards in the second half.
That performance, though, was impressive from the third-year pass-catcher. If Dixon can continue to put together games as he has so far two weeks into the season, he could play his way into a high draft pick. Dixon could choose to head to the NFL after this season, but also could choose to stick around Champaign for another year. Either way, he is playing at an extremely high level so far in 2026.
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