The NFL preseason has given Illinois football something to feel good about: former Illini are popping up all over rosters, and two quarterbacks in particular are making their case to stick.
Luke Altmyer and Tommy DeVito are both trying to carve out spots for the 2026 season, and neither has hurt himself so far. That matters for Illinois, because it has been a long time since the program had multiple quarterbacks hanging around NFL sidelines.
Altmyer’s stat line doesn’t jump off the page at first glance. He has one touchdown and two interceptions.
But one of those picks came on a ball that went straight through a receiver’s hands, which changes the story a bit. He’s completed 22 of 35 passes, good for 62.9%, and has thrown for 216 yards.
The Lions also deserve credit for how they’ve handled him, because they’ve done a good job shaping things around his strengths instead of trying to force him into something he isn’t.
DeVito has taken a different route, but he’s made his own case. His completion rate is lower - 21 of 37, or 56.8% - yet he’s stacked up 289 yards and two touchdowns.
The big-play stuff has been there, and the best part for him is that he hasn’t thrown an interception in the preseason. For a backup quarterback, protecting the football is a huge deal.
That kind of performance raises the obvious question: could either one get a chance to start in 2026?
The answer looks complicated. Jared Goff has played every game for the Lions over the last four seasons, and his production keeps climbing, so it’s tough to see him missing time.
Drake Maye with the Patriots might be the cleaner path to an opportunity, but even that would probably require unfortunate circumstances. He played every game last season, though his mobility could make injury a concern when he’s on the move.
Still, the bigger picture is encouraging for Illinois. Altmyer and DeVito both have a real shot to make rosters, which is no small thing. If the Illini keep producing quarterbacks who can land NFL jobs, that’s a solid place to start.
In Other News...
Illinois Could Get Unexpected Veteran Help From Eligibility Chaos
A pair of recent court rulings has created a strange little window in college football, and Illinois could be one of the programs that benefits. A U.S. District Judge granted a preliminary injunction that gives the high school class of 2022 an extra year of eligibility, while a separate temporary restraining order in Louisiana opened the transfer portal for 16 former collegiate athletes seeking a fifth season. For a roster that is always balancing development, depth and experience, the timing could hardly be more unusual.
Bret Bielema has already shown interest in the possibility of bringing back graduated seniors Melvin Priestly and Hank Beatty if the eligibility situation allows it. The appeal is obvious for Illinois, which could use veteran help without having to lean entirely on younger players, but the process still depends on how these legal rulings are interpreted and applied. For now, it is another reminder that offseason roster building is no longer just about recruiting and development, but also about waiting on the next court decision. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Depth Plan Just Took A Hit Bret Bielema Feared
The Big Ten is poised to tighten its eligibility rules in a way that could reshape late-roster planning for programs like Illinois. Under the proposed conference policy, players who have declared for the NFL Draft, appeared on an NFL roster or signed a pro contract would not be allowed back into Big Ten football, a development that lands squarely on a group of Class of 2022 athletes who briefly had an extra year of eligibility after a federal court ruling before the NCAA won a stay.
For Bret Bielema, it is the kind of depth issue he has been bracing for. Illinois has been monitoring the situations of offensive lineman Melvin Priestly and wide receiver Hank Beatty, both of whom are currently with NFL teams, and a conference rule change would leave even less room for those kinds of return possibilities. What had been a gray area for roster building now looks a lot more restrictive, and for a team trying to manage its depth chart, that matters. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Receiver Injury Just Made One Thin Position Even More Concerning
The Illinis wide receiver depth took another hit this week when Bret Bielema said transfer Jayshon Platt suffered an injury with an uncertain return timeline, a development that makes a Week 1 comeback look unlikely. Platt arrived from FAU with a chance to help stabilize a position group that already needed answers, but Illinois now has to keep sorting through those options without him for the opening stretch.
It only deepens the concern around a room that had already absorbed the season-ending losses of BJ Thurman and Alex Perry. For now, younger players such as Brayden Trimble and transfer Eddie Kasper are expected to shoulder more of the load, and that includes handling return duties as Illinois looks for bodies it can trust and a little more certainty before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]