Heading into the 2025 campaign, the Illinois football team is poised to have a big year thanks to some big-time players.
It is hard to find the last time the Illini had this much talent and as many expectations. But we have expectations because we have talent. Multiple Illinois players were recognized on the first day of Big Ten Media Days, too.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Big Ten media released the list of 16 players who made the Big Ten Preseason Honors. This list includes the top 16 players in the conference, and Illinois can hold its own in this voting.
The Illini didn’t just snag one player among the 16 best in the Big Ten; we have two notching those top spots.
Gabe Jacas was the obvious one. He is looked at as a top player in the country, let alone in the Big Ten. NFL scouts are eyeing him, as well. He is a projected top-four round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
This past season as a junior, Jacas recorded 74 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and three forced fumbles, all of which were career highs. Look for Jacas to have another big year in 2025.
Illinois’ offensive leader is ready to have a massive season as well
Fittingly, not only did Illinois, which is projected to finish fourth in the Big Ten, have one of the top 16 players in the conference from the defensive side of the ball, but we also had an offensive player take a spot.
Luke Altmyer earned his spot among the top 16 in the Big Ten. He enters year three in Champaign, and I would argue he is the closest thing Illinois has had to a Heisman Trophy candidate since the 1990s.
Much like Jacas, Altmyer has many career highs in 2024. Some of those include throwing for 2,717 yards and 22 touchdowns. A 3,000-yard season is definitely a possibility in 2025, and he could have one of the best years in program history.
Illinois is poised to do great things this upcoming season. The program is touted as one of the top in the Big Ten, and now a couple of elite Illini players are starting to get some elite Big Ten love.