Senior linebacker Milo Eifler has opted to forgo his extra year of eligibility and declare for the NFL Draft, becoming the third Illini player to enter his name into the draft after senior linebacker Jake Hansen and redshirt junior offensive lineman Kendrick Green made their respective announcements on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning, respectively.

“To my teammates, my brothers, thank you for always having my back,” Eifler said in a statement. “We stood shoulder to shoulder both on and off the field sharing memories that’ll last forever. To both my moms, dad, grandma, and entire family thank you for the immense support and love. I couldn’t have done it without y’all. However my proudest achievement was receiving my academic degree, officially becoming a graduate from the University of Illinois.

“And now it’s time for me to take the next step in my journey. It is with great humility and gratitude that I announce I will be declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft.”

Eifler transferred to Illinois following his sophomore year after playing two seasons at Washington. Once becoming eligible following a year out due to NCAA transfer rules, the California native immediately became a starter on defense, playing 18 games for the Illini over the past two seasons.

In 2019, Eifler played in all 13 games and finished with 69 total tackles, including a career-high 10 against Rutgers, two sacks and one fumble recovery, which he returned for a touchdown, the lone score of his collegiate career. Like most Illini players, the 2020 season wasn’t as positive for the senior, as he missed three games due to injury. Despite the setback, Eifler still managed to make 27 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss, and one sack.

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