Illinois just added some much-needed muscle to its defensive front, landing Bowling Green transfer Isaiah Thomison. The 6-foot-3, 280-pound lineman has two years of eligibility left and arrives in Champaign with the kind of upside that could pay off quickly for a defensive line in transition.
Thomison is coming off a solid year with the Falcons, where he logged 132 snaps and posted a 76.2 grade from Pro Football Focus-a strong mark that reflects his all-around potential. He notched 12 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss, with a 73.8 grade against the run and a 75.3 pass-rush grade. Those numbers don’t just look good on paper-they show a player who held his own in the trenches and flashed the kind of versatility that Big Ten teams covet.
Before his time at Bowling Green, Thomison started his college career at Memphis. He didn’t see the field there, but that early experience-combined with his physical development-has helped him evolve from a high school linebacker into a legitimate interior lineman.
Coming out of Fayetteville, Tennessee, Thomison was a three-star recruit in the Class of 2023, choosing Memphis over Navy and several FCS programs. Since then, he’s clearly put in the work to transform his frame and his game.
For Illinois, this is a timely addition. The Illini are retooling their defensive line after losing two starters to graduation and watching four rotational players hit the transfer portal. Thomison might not be a plug-and-play star on Day 1, but he brings depth, experience, and a skill set that fits what Illinois needs in the trenches-especially in a conference where line play often decides the outcome.
Bottom line: Thomison is a developmental win for Illinois. He’s already shown flashes of impact at the Group of Five level, and with two years left to grow in a Power Five system, he could become a key piece in the Illini’s defensive puzzle.