TWO DEEP
The Wire

Illinois Fighting Illini transfer portal

NCAA · Big Ten · 2026
OverviewRoster changeReplacementsPortal portfolioDependenceFlowAll moves
Position
Window
Transfer portal · 2026

Illinois Fighting Illini

Both windows
Projected two-deep impacti
+16
Projected two-deep roles added · 2026 arrivals
Illinois added 16 transfers projected into the two-deep (9 as starters) against 27 departures whose next roles aren’t tracked here. Every number on this page is counted, not modelled — no composite portal grade is published because no defensible one exists yet.
24
Arrivals
-3
27
Departures
0.85
Avg rating in
-0.01
0.86
Avg rating out
16
Proj two-deep in
—
—
Out roles untracked
8 of 24
’25 production in
—
19 of 27
’25 production out
What changed
Upgraded
Projected starters arrived with rating holding or rising in 4 rooms, led by WR.
Depth concern
More players out than in with no two-deep answer — depth, not the starting line, is the exposure.
Still unresolved
Departures with no portal answer yet. Replacement must come from the returning roster or signing class.

How the roster changed

51 moves · 11 rooms touchedi
Offense
-1 net players
Upgraded+3 players
OL
+5 in · −2 out · 3 proj starters in
InOut
N
M
C
?
Jake Renfro in from Wisconsin drives the room.
No movement—
RB
+0 in · −0 out
InOutNo arrivalsNo departures
No portal movement in this room.
Upgraded-1 player
WR
+4 in · −5 out · 2 proj starters in
InOut
?
Alex Perry in from Florida International drives the room.
Depth concern-1 player
TE
+1 in · −2 out
InOut
Cole Rusk out to Arizona drives the room.
Unresolved-2 players
QB
+0 in · −2 out
InOut
No arrivals
Trey Petty out to Western Michigan drives the room.
Defense
-3 net players
Upgraded+1 player
LB
+4 in · −3 out · 2 proj starters in
InOut
H
I
?
Robert Edmonson in from Colorado State drives the room.
Replaced-1 player
DL
+4 in · −5 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
Darrell Prater in from Jacksonville State drives the room.
Depth concern-1 player
CB
+3 in · −4 out
InOut
N
Deuce Fillmore in from Georgia State drives the room.
Depth concern-1 player
S
+1 in · −2 out
InOut
?
Saboor Karriem out to Temple drives the room.
Unresolved-1 player
EDGE
+0 in · −1 out
InOut
No arrivals
Harrysson Ngassa out to South Florida drives the room.
Specialists
+1 net players
Replaced+1 player
LS
+1 in · −0 out
InOut
No departures
Zach Haber in from Arkansas drives the room.
Upgraded—
K
+1 in · −1 out · 1 proj starter in
InOut
David Olano out to Texas A&M drives the room.
No movement—
P
+0 in · −0 out
InOutNo arrivalsNo departures
No portal movement in this room.
ArrivalDepartureHeavy ring · proj starter inThin ring · rotation inDotted · depth role or no ’25 recordMarker size = ’25 production percentile (smallest = none recorded)

Did Illinois replace what it lost?

Role slots, not player-for-player
Replaced
6 chains
WR
Starting slot
Out · to Oklahoma State
Justin Bowick
rating 0.90 · 65th pctl ’25 production · 22 rec · 265 yds · 5 TD
Upgrade
High confidence
In · from Florida Atlantic
Jayshon Platt
rating 0.86 · 92nd pctl ’25 production · 46 rec · 720 yds · 5 TD · kr1 starter
Jan 6
▾ Detail
WR
Starting slot
Out · to Georgia Southern
Ashton Hollins
rating 0.82 · 47th pctl ’25 production · 4 rec · 108 yds · 1 TD
Upgrade
Medium confidence
In · from Illinois State
Eddie Kasper
rating 0.85 · pr1 starter
Mar 5
▾ Detail
OL
Starting slot
Out · to Eastern Michigan
Tyler McMillan
rating 0.84
Upgrade
Low confidence
In · from Wisconsin
Jake Renfro
rating 0.86 · c1 starter
Jan 5
▾ Detail
DL
Starting slot
Out · to Texas A&M
Angelo McCullom
rating 0.88 · 66th pctl ’25 production · 19 tkl · 3 TFL · 1.5 sk
Replaced
High confidence
In · from Jacksonville State
Darrell Prater
rating 0.86 · 76th pctl ’25 production · 21 tkl · 4 TFL · 3.5 sk · dl21 starter
Jan 21
▾ Detail
LB
Starting slot
Out · to West Virginia
Malachi Hood
rating 0.85 · 71st pctl ’25 production · 44 tkl · 1.5 TFL · 1 sk
Replaced
Medium confidence
In · from Hutchinson CC
H
Daniel Brown
no ’25 production record · lb1 starter
—
▾ Detail
LB
Starting slot
Out · to Purdue
Jojo Hayden
rating 0.87 · 55th pctl ’25 production · 25 tkl · 1.5 TFL
Replaced
Medium confidence
In · from Iowa Central CC
I
Ismael Kante
no ’25 production record · lb21 starter
—
▾ Detail
Partially replaced
3 chains
WR
Rotation slot
Out · to LSU
Malik Elzy
rating 0.86 · 42nd pctl ’25 production · 7 rec · 84 yds
Partial replacement
Medium confidence
In · from Ball State
Ty Robinson
rating 0.85 · 48th pctl ’25 production · 11 rec · 113 yds · wr22 rotation
Jan 7
▾ Detail
DL
Rotation slot
Out · to South Carolina
Tomiwa Durojaiye
rating 0.93 · 66th pctl ’25 production · 16 tkl · 4.5 TFL · 2 sk
Partial replacement
Medium confidence
In · from Pennsylvania
Carter Janki
rating 0.83 · dl22 rotation
Jan 4
▾ Detail
K
Starting slot
Out · to Texas A&M
David Olano
88th pctl ’25 production · 20/23 FG · 104 pts
Partial replacement
Medium confidence
In · from Washington
Ethan Moczulski
rating 0.83 · ko1 starter
Jan 15
▾ Detail
Not replaced
6 chains
QB
Production lost
Out · to Southern Miss
Ethan Hampton
no ’25 production record
Unresolved
Loss not replaced
In
No portal addition
Jan 11
▾ Detail
WR
Production lost
Out · to Southern Miss
Mario Sanders II
rating 0.84 · 26th pctl ’25 production · 2 rec · 32 yds
Unresolved
Room restocked · slot open
In
No further two-deep addition
3 two-deep arrivals answer other losses · 1 depth arrival in room · 2 producing losses unanswered
Jan 13
▾ Detail
TE
Production lost
Out · to Arizona
Cole Rusk
rating 0.91 · 79th pctl ’25 production · 19 rec · 217 yds · 1 TD
Unresolved
Room restocked · slot open
In
No starter/rotation addition
1 depth arrival in room
Jan 6
▾ Detail
DL
Production lost
Out · to Purdue
Curt Neal
rating 0.86 · 50th pctl ’25 production · 16 tkl · 0.5 TFL · 2 PD
Unresolved
Room restocked · slot open
In
No further two-deep addition
2 two-deep arrivals answer other losses · 2 depth arrivals in room · 3 producing losses unanswered
Jan 7
▾ Detail
CB
Production lost
Out · to Kansas State
Kaleb Patterson
rating 0.87 · 54th pctl ’25 production · 16 tkl · 1 PD
Unresolved
Room restocked · slot open
In
No starter/rotation addition
3 depth arrivals in room · 2 producing losses unanswered
Jan 5
▾ Detail
S
Production lost
Out · to Temple
Saboor Karriem
60th pctl ’25 production · 21 tkl · 1 TFL
Unresolved
Room restocked · slot open
In
No starter/rotation addition
1 depth arrival in room · 2 producing losses unanswered
Jan 10
▾ Detail

Quality vs experience

Portal rating
0.750.800.850.900.951.00
No ’25 production record
High-upside betProven impactDevelopmentalExperienced depth
Perry
Rusk
Finley
?
0th pctl25th pctl50th pctl75th pctl
’25 production · national position percentile
17 unrated moves not plotted — see the ledger

How much Illinois depends on transfers

Projected 2026 two-deep · 53 slots
Quarterback
2
0%
Skill (RB/WR/TE)
6
3
1
40%
Offensive line
4
1
5
60%
Front seven (EDGE/DL/LB)
6
6
50%
Secondary (CB/S)
10
0%
Specialists
3
2
4
67%
Returning signeesPrior-cycle transfers2026 transfers
42%
Projected two-deep from transfers
22 of 53 two-deep slots
13 of 27
Projected starters from transfers
9 from the 2026 cycle, 4 held over
65th
Big Ten percentile · transfer share
7th-most transfer-dependent two-deep of 18 Big Ten teams
Returning portal corePrior-cycle transfers still in the two-deep
Hudson Clement
WR · from West Virginia · 2025 cycle · WR21 starter
78th pctl
’25 production · Illinois
Davin Stoffel
TE · from South Dakota State · 2025 cycle · TE2 rotation
28th pctl
’25 production · Illinois
Christian Abney
TE · from Ball State · 2025 cycle · TE1 starter
18th pctl
’25 production · Illinois
Nathan Knapik
OL · from Idaho · 2025 cycle · RT1 starter
—
no ’25 record
Lucas Osada
K · from North Carolina · 2025 cycle · KO2 rotation
—
no ’25 record
Lars Rau
P · from Texas State · 2025 cycle · PT1 starter
—
no ’25 record

Where Illinois’s transfers came from — and where they went

Sources · 24 arrivals27 departures · destinations
Non-FBS
11 players
Pac-12
3 players
Big Ten
2 players
Mid-American
2 players
Conference USA
2 players
American Athletic
1 player
Other
3 players
+
+
Unannounced
4 players
SEC
4 players
Big 12
4 players
Mid-American
4 players
American Athletic
3 players
Big Ten
3 players
+
Other
5 players
Illinois
-3 net moves
Arrived from · 24
Non-FBS
11 players
Pac-12
3 players
Big Ten
2 players
Mid-American
2 players
Conference USA
2 players
American Athletic
1 player
+
Other
3 players
Departed to · 27
+
Unannounced
4 players
SEC
4 players
Big 12
4 players
Mid-American
4 players
American Athletic
3 players
Big Ten
3 players
+
Other
5 players
11arrivals came from Non-FBS programs — the single largest source.
16arrivals are projected straight into the two-deep (3 of 24 arrivals came from P4 leagues).
3departures stayed inside the Big Ten.

How the window developed

Cumulative net moves · in − out
SPRING WINDOWWINTER WINDOWRuskBowickDurojaiyeMcCullomFinley-9EVENTRANSACTION ORDER · DEC 2 → MAY 24 · UNIT: NET MOVE COUNTSPRING WINDOWWINTER WINDOWRuskDurojaiye-9EVENTRANSACTION ORDER · DEC 2 → MAY 24 · UNIT: NET MOVE COUNT
6 undated moves not plotted

All portal moves

51 of 51 moves match · 25 shown
Show
Role in
Sort
PlayerPosDirectionOrigin / destinationRating’25 productionEligProjected roleDate
TD
Tomiwa Durojaiye
Winter window · 4★
DL↑ DepartureSouth Carolina0.9366th pctl production · 16 tkl · 4.5 TFL · 2 skImmediate—Jan 10
CR
Cole Rusk
Winter window · 4★
TE↑ DepartureArizona0.9179th pctl production · 19 rec · 217 yds · 1 TDImmediate—Jan 6
JB
Justin Bowick
Winter window · 4★
WR↑ DepartureOklahoma State0.9065th pctl production · 22 rec · 265 yds · 5 TDImmediate—Jan 8
JF
James Finley IV
Winter window · 4★
CB↓ Arrival
Northern Illinois
0.9058th pctl production · 15 tkl · 2 INT · 2 PDImmediateCB35 depthMar 25
AM
Angelo McCullom
Winter window · 3★
DL↑ DepartureTexas A&M0.8866th pctl production · 19 tkl · 3 TFL · 1.5 skImmediate—Jan 11
KP
Kaleb Patterson
Winter window · 3★
CB↑ DepartureKansas State0.8754th pctl production · 16 tkl · 1 PDImmediate—Jan 5
JH
Jojo Hayden
Winter window · 3★
LB↑ DeparturePurdue0.8755th pctl production · 25 tkl · 1.5 TFLImmediate—Jan 8
RE
Robert Edmonson
Winter window · 3★
LB↓ Arrival
Colorado State
0.8774th pctl production · 47 tkl · 4 TFL · 1 skImmediateLB32 rotationJan 10
LW
Lavon Williams
Winter window · 3★
S↓ Arrival
East Texas A&M
0.86no recordImmediateFS3 depthJan 4
JR
Jake Renfro
Winter window · 3★
OL↓ Arrival
Wisconsin
0.86no recordImmediateC1 starterJan 5
JP
Jayshon Platt
Winter window · 3★
WR↓ Arrival
Florida Atlantic
0.8692nd pctl production · 46 rec · 720 yds · 5 TDImmediateKR1 starterJan 6
CN
Curt Neal
Winter window · 3★
DL↑ DeparturePurdue0.8650th pctl production · 16 tkl · 0.5 TFL · 2 PDImmediate—Jan 7
AP
Alex Perry
Winter window · 3★
WR↓ Arrival
Florida International
0.8695th pctl production · 56 rec · 840 yds · 9 TDImmediateWR5 depthJan 8
ME
Malik Elzy
Winter window · 3★
WR↑ DepartureLSU0.8642nd pctl production · 7 rec · 84 ydsImmediate—Jan 9
JW
Jeremiah Warren
Winter window · 3★
DL↑ DeparturePittsburgh0.8614th pctl production · 3 tklImmediate—Jan 10
EC
Eli Coenen
Winter window · 3★
DL↑ DepartureMichigan State0.8650th pctl production · 12 tkl · 1.5 TFL · 1.5 skImmediate—Jan 12
IT
Isaiah Thomison
Winter window · 3★
DL↓ Arrival
Bowling Green
0.8646th pctl production · 12 tkl · 3 TFLImmediateDL34 depthJan 17
DP
Darrell Prater
Winter window · 3★
DL↓ Arrival
Jacksonville State
0.8676th pctl production · 21 tkl · 4 TFL · 3.5 skImmediateDL21 starterJan 21
CM
Christian Martin
Winter window · 3★
OL↓ Arrival
Colorado State
0.85no recordImmediateLT1 starterJan 6
MH
Malachi Hood
Winter window · 3★
LB↑ DepartureWest Virginia0.8571st pctl production · 44 tkl · 1.5 TFL · 1 skImmediate—Jan 7
TR
Ty Robinson
Winter window · 3★
WR↓ Arrival
Ball State
0.8548th pctl production · 11 rec · 113 ydsImmediateWR22 rotationJan 7
VW
Vernon Woodward III
Winter window · 3★
CB↑ DepartureJacksonville State0.85no recordImmediate—Jan 12
EK
Eddie Kasper
Winter window · 3★
WR↓ Arrival
Illinois State
0.85no recordImmediatePR1 starterMar 5
CS
Connor Sullivan
Winter window · 3★
DL↓ Arrival
Washington State
0.84no recordImmediateDL6 depthJan 9
DF
Deuce Fillmore
Winter window · 3★
CB↓ Arrival
Georgia State
0.8477th pctl production · 39 tkl · 3 PDImmediateCB34 depthJan 10

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