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Illinois lands transfer commitment from highly-regarded offensive lineman
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Illinois has added a offensive lineman to its ranks as it gears up for the 2025 season.
Tyler McMillan, who spent the 2024 season at Southeast Missouri State, has committed to the Illini. He announced the decision on his X account on Saturday:
This will be McMillan’s fourth program since coming out of the 2021 recruiting class. After originally committing to play at Tulsa, he went on to sign with FCS program Mississippi Valley State. He then joined Northwestern State in 2023, seeing 6 starts at right tackle.
He then transferred to SEMO, where he made 11 appearances in 2024. The Redhawks finished 9-4 and were co-champion of the OVC-Big South, falling to Illinois State in the first round of the playoffs.
Now, McMillan will join the FBS ranks, joining an Illinois team that just enjoyed its best season under Bret Bielema. The Illini finished 10-3 in 2024 — their most wins since 2001 — and enede the season in the top 25 for the first time since 2007.
They have lost four players to the transfer portal since it reopened for the spring, but McMillan’s addition is a big boost to the offensive line room as the Illini look to capitalize on their new-found momentum.