The defensive line has been a staple of Illinois football over the last couple of years. The coaching staff knew they would have to replace some players heading into the offseason and have tackled the issue head-on.
It was a relatively smooth transition from star junior defensive linemen Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton and Keith Randolph to senior defensive linemen Terah Edwards and Dennis Briggs Jr. this year, but Illinois may have upgraded. In this first transfer portal window, the Illini secured three additions to replace their departures on the line. Two won’t travel far, staying in the Big Ten after leaving Illinois’ rival Wisconsin.
Illinois co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Terrance Jamison played and coached at Wisconsin. He utilized his Madison connections big time in the last couple of weeks, bringing three Wisconsin contributors to Illinois.
Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Curt Neal was the first to commit to the Illini after starting every game for the Badgers this season. He cited scheme issues as his reason for leaving Madison, and the North Carolina native now calls Champaign home.
In a Christmas day surprise, redshirt senior defensive lineman James Thompson Jr. committed to Illinois. The 6-foot-5 force at the line of scrimmage started 11 games for Wisconsin in 2023 and will be a contributor on day one next fall.
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The third commit to bolster the defensive line is redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Tomiwa Durojaiye. He appeared in four games this season for Florida State but previously made appearances at West Virginia and Kentucky.
Durojaiye adds size and speed to the newcomers and rounds out a solid group. He follows Briggs, who established the Tallahassee to Champaign connection last year.
Illinois might check in with available players in the next portal window, but it’s likely that it already has all the defensive linemen it needs. Freshman defensive lineman Jeremiah Warren and sophomore defensive lineman Alex Bray will return next fall as one of the most important position groups on the field will look to anchor another Illinois defense.
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