Illinois has built a steady pipeline of Big Ten honorees under Brad Underwood, and this group is stepping into that same spotlight.
Over the last seven seasons, the Illini have landed 14 players on an All-Big Ten team. Eight of those selections were first-team picks, with Illinois putting at least one player on the league’s top squad in six of those seven years. The program has also added seven All-Freshman Team selections and three All-Defensive Team choices during Underwood’s run.
That track record makes the next question pretty obvious: who from this year’s roster is best positioned to join that list in 2026-27?
Illinois will have to replace some major production, including Keaton Wagler, the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year and an All-Big Ten First Team selection by both the coaches and media. The Illini also have to move on without Kylan Boswell, who earned a spot on the conference’s All-Defensive Team.
Even with those departures, Illinois didn’t exactly hit the reset button. The Illini brought back five members of their Final Four rotation and added a strong batch of newcomers, several of whom are expected to play important roles right away. That gives Illinois a roster with enough talent to be in the mix for the conference title - and enough individual firepower to produce more postseason awards.
So the focus shifts to the names most likely to break through on the league stage. Illinois Inquirer has ranked the top candidates for Big Ten postseason honors in 2026-27, looking at the best possibilities for each of the conference’s end-of-season teams.
In Other News...
Illinois Has A Familiar Leader For A Critical Backfield Transition
Aidan Laugherys path into 2026 puts Illinois in a place many teams would like to be, even if the backfield is about to look different. The senior running back emerged in 2024 with a breakout season built on speed, vision and enough physicality to handle tougher carries, and even through injuries in 2025 he still flashed the kind of big-play ability that can change a game in one snap.
Now a team captain, Laughery is set to become more than just a reliable ball carrier for a roster carrying plenty of new faces. For an Illinois team leaning into a major backfield transition, his value goes well beyond production, because the Illini need someone who already understands what the standard looks like and can help show it to everyone else. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Opens Week 1 With One Injury Question Still Hanging
Illinois heads into its 2026 opener against UAB with most of the roster in good shape, a welcome development after a long offseason of sorting through injuries. Bret Bielema said several key pieces are expected to be available, including Robert Edmonson and Hudson Clement, and that gives the Illini a much cleaner look as they get ready for their first game action of the year.
Even so, the injury list is not empty. Alex Perry, BJ Thurman, Tanner Hollinger and Grant Smith are already done for the season, while Jayshon Platt and Daniel Brown will miss week one. The one question still lingering is among the players Bielema addressed without fully closing the door on their availability, leaving Illinois with a little bit of uncertainty even as it takes a mostly healthy team into kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Commit Brody Knowles Is Already Flashing What Fans Want Outside
Illinois footballs 2027 receiver haul already looks like one of the more interesting parts of the class, and Brody Knowles is giving fans a clear idea of why. The Southlake Carroll standout has been producing in his final high school season right alongside fellow Illinois commit Bennett Konkey, who has opened with a huge start of his own, and the pair gives the Illini a couple of receivers whose futures are worth tracking well before they arrive in Champaign.
Knowles helped fuel Southlake Carrolls comeback win with seven catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns, a performance that fit the profile Illinois wants from him long term. Hes expected to bring a physical, impactful presence to the Illini offense, and early signs in high school suggest he can be more than just a name in the class. For Illinois, the appealing part is not only the production, but the type of receiver Knowles appears to be becoming. [Read more 🡒]