Pair of Illinois football wide receivers make NFL Draft big board

Illinois football is on track for the best season the program has had in nearly 20 years.

If we can pull out a win against Northwestern in the final game of the season, the Illini would notch win No. 9 on the year. The last time nine wins occurred in the regular season was back in 2007.

A big part of the program playing well in 2024 is due to some great pieces on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Luke Altmyer has been able to push the ball down the field thanks to some of the great talent out wide as well.

Two of the Illinois wide receivers are now being looked at as NFL prospects thanks to the big years they are having. Pro Football Focus released their 2025 NFL Draft big board on Tuesday night. This lists the top 250 college players who are the likeliest to get selected.

Illinois has multiple players making the list. The first player you will find is wide receiver, Pat Bryant.

Bryant checks in at No. 153 on the big board, which puts him roughly mid-4th round. He is the highest-ranked Illinois player, and I would imagine his big season has him skyrocketing up NFL team’s draft boards.

This season, Bryant has 50 receptions for 914 yards and nine touchdowns, all of which are career highs. His pure ability on the field makes him a great NFL prospect, but his size is also intriguing. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Bryant is a massive target that NFL teams would love.

Illinois’ other player making the PFF big board is wide receiver Zahkari Franklin. He transferred into the program from Ole Miss, and he is college football’s active leader in receiving yards.

Franklin sneaks into the list at No. 236 overall, which puts him in the late-7th round. I like Franklin’s size at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, but his hands are what sticks out the most. Franklin has made some incredible catches this season, and I think he could stick in the NFL as a nice slot receiver.

Illinois football has a few other talented options who could end up making it in the 2025 NFL Draft

Bryant and Franklin are two great options for the 2025 NFL Draft. I think Bryant is a lock to be picked, and teams would be silly not to take Franklin.

But there are other Illinois players who I could see rising on some draft boards and getting selected next spring. With the offensive line being a premium position, it wouldn’t shock me to see JC Davis gain some traction.

Davis has been a solid offensive lineman for the Illini this season. He currently ranks as the No. 191 offensive tackle in all levels of college football as well. I fully expect Davis to get selected.

Another name I would keep an eye on is Seth Coleman. He has great speed off the edge, and he has 54 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3.0 pass deflections, and a forced fumble this season. At 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, I think Coleman measures well for the NFL.