I have been impressed with how the Illinois football team was able to keep the offensive line together.
The Illini just finished one of the best seasons in program history. After the season concluded, Bret Bielema went to work on keeping the band together. One of the biggest wins for the head coach was flying out to California to sway offensive tackle JC Davis to come back for one more campaign.
Bielema was able to get Davis to come back to the program. On top of Davis returning, Illinois is bringing back all of the starting offensive linemen from season’s end. But depth is a big concern, and Bielema is also addressing that issue.
Illinois was already able to land offensive tackle Tyler McMillan out of the transfer portal. Now, the Illini are trying to bring in some guard depth with the addition of Jordan Larsen.
On Monday, Pete Nakos of On3.com reported that Larsen has scheduled three visits. He will be visiting Memphis, Duke, and Illinois.
South Dakota offensive lineman Jordan Larsen has scheduled visits to Duke, Illinois and Memphis, @nxtsportsagency tells @On3sports.
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) April 21, 2025
The 6-4, 305-pound OL has 2 years of eligibility remaining. https://t.co/YK0ohzT4j9 pic.twitter.com/G3AYKBEVXc
This would be a great addition to all three programs mentioned. Larsen is a big-time player looking to make a splash with a big-time program.
Larsen has two years of eligibility remaining after spending two seasons with South Dakota. This past season, Larsen played 619 snaps for the Coyotes. He registered a grade of 70.8, which ranked No. 89 out of 639 guards in college football, according to Pro Football Focus.
The transfer portal could give Illinois football two key offensive linemen for 2025
I was pretty excited when the Illini landed McMillan a couple of days ago. He will provide great depth at tackle. I believe Davis and Melvin Priestly will be starting, and McMillan will be a crucial backup.
At guard, I think Josh Gesky and Brandon Henderson will get the start once again. Illinois needs quality backups, and that is where Larsen would come into play. He could join the Illini roster and be a big piece to the puzzle.
There are many outlets that have Illinois as a pick to make the College Football Playoff. Without depth pieces on the offensive line, it is going to be hard to find consistency. The transfer portal could provide that consistency, which will go a long way this fall.