We have been in the midst of the transfer portal for a half-decade now, as the Illinois football team has navigated it quite well.
Thankfully, the Illini have Bret Bielema at the helm to guide us through the transfer portal chaos. While there have been rumblings of who is transferring throughout December, the transfer portal officially opened on January 2 and will remain open through January 16.
This two-week span will shape programs, good and bad, for the 2026 season. So far, Illinois is -21 in the transfer portal. We have had 22 players depart the program, one of them being a mid-season departure, and a mid-season addition.
Yes, this does seem like a big number, but Illinois will also add players in the coming days and weeks. The start of the transfer portal is rough for every team. But if you dive into the departures, how rough has it actually been for the Illini?
Numbers tell a different story about what Illinois football is losing in the transfer portal
Let’s start off with the biggest transfer portal departure thus far. Kicker David Olano was a painful one. He has kicked in so many big moments, and it looks like Texas A&M might be dumping a bag in his lap. Good for him, and I wish him the best.
When it comes to pretty much the rest of the Illinois transfer portal departures, we are just losing bodies and not a ton of production.
The impact of the transfer portal can be felt in multiple ways, but the one big stat I look at is snaps. How many snaps from the previous season are you losing in the transfer portal? This will show me if Illinois is losing big-time players who contributed a ton or if there are a bunch of players who want more playing time, so they are finding a new home.
Illinois’ wide receiver situation seems to be in flux right now. Five players have hit the transfer portal thus far. That looks bad, but the snap count just isn’t there.
Justin Bowick was the biggest departure among them, and he played 309 snaps for Illinois in 2025. Mario Sanders II, Ashton Hollins, Tysean Griffin, and Malik Elzy were the other four wide receiver departures. All five of those pass-catchers combined for 430 snaps during the 2025 season. Returning wide receiver Hudson Clement alone had 529 snaps.
The Illini are getting back Clement’s production and Collin Dixon, who had 607 snaps for Illinois. So, those 430 combined snaps among five players are easily replaceable on the current roster and in the transfer portal.
Illinois seems to have taken a hit in the secondary. Let’s first start off by saying, is that possible? The Illini secondary was putrid, but we are playing the game anyway.
Kaleb Patterson, Tyson Rooks, Donovan Turner, and Vernon Woodward II are all departing. That is a combined 301 snaps for those four players. Tanner Heckel alone had 506 snaps. He and Juice Clarke, 533 snaps, are back for Illinois next season.
The Illinois offensive line is losing Kellen Francis and Tyler McMillen to the transfer portal. They have both combined for seven snaps in 2025.
In the past couple of days, Illinois lost defensive lineman Curt Neal to the transfer portal. This seems like a big one, but he only logged 253 snaps last season. That ranked No. 4 on the Illinois roster among defensive linemen. Jeremiah Warren is also out at Illinois, and he had 97 snaps in 2025. So, that is a combined 350 snaps departing. Tomiwa Durojaiye had 372 snaps alone for the Orange and Blue.
On social media, it looks like Illinois’ tight end situation is ugly. Well, it was already a little bit ugly, but the departures aren’t the reason. Cole Rusk and Jake Furtney are now entering the transfer portal. That is a combined 169 snaps. Illinois was going to need to revamp this position anyway, as Tanner Arkin was the lead man at 684 snaps. So, the coaching staff clearly didn’t lean on those transferring out.
Illinois also lost outside linebacker Harrysson Ngassa and quarterback Trey Petty. Neither played snaps for the program in 2025.
Besides kicker, the one position that I am like, yeah, that could hurt, is at linebacker. Illinois has lost some snaps at linebacker in the last couple of days. Malachi Hood, Jojo Hayden, Easton Baker, and Clayton Leonard have all entered the transfer portal.
You are looking at a total of 610 snaps among that group, and Hood and Hayden were No. 2 and No. 3 in snaps at linebacker for Illinois, respectively. But here is the thing. Much like the defensive back position, is taking a hit at linebacker possible? Hayden was No. 668, and Hood was No. 716 among all linebackers in the college ranks. They weren’t good for the Illini, so is losing them that bad?
Also, I believe Illinois has a plan. Wait for Grant Beerman and his rise in the Illinois ranks. He redshirted his freshman season, but I believe he is about to burst onto the scene and be great for the Illini.
So, at the end of the day, what are we worried about? Are we scared that a bunch of, essentially, backups are departing? Bielema is going to replace them in the transfer portal. Illinois isn’t losing starters, and if we do, most of them aren’t starting-caliber talent. Let’s snap back to reality. There is definitely still gravity. Illinois is just fine in the transfer portal right now.