The Illinois Fighting Illini had an impressive bounce-back 2024 campaign. After a disappointing season and going 5-7 in 2023, Illinois increased its regular season win total by four and capped off with a 21-17 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. The Fighting Illini finished with a 10-3 overall record, the most wins in Bret Bielema’s four-year tenure as head coach.
The Illinois Fighting Illini lost their star wide receiver to the draft
As previously discussed on Gridiron Heroics early in December, Fighting Illini’s star wide receiver Pat Bryant announced that he would forego his final year of college eligibility and declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. Bryant had a solid career in Champaign with over 2,095 yards and 19 touchdowns in 46 career games. His best statistical season came in 2024 when he finished second on the team in receptions while leading in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and receiving yards per game, with 54 receptions for 982 yards, ten touchdowns, 18.2 yards per catch, and 82.0 yards per game.
Also Read: Illinois Fighting Illini: Star Offensive Weapon Reveals His Plans for 2025
Since they needed to find a viable replacement for the 2025 season, the team landed a standout receiver in the portal.
The Fighting Illini landed a standout offensive weapon in the transfer portal
According to Pete Nakos of On3, the Illinois Fighting Illini landed former West Virginia Mountaineers leading receiver, redshirt sophomore wide receiver Hudson Clement, in the transfer portal with two years of eligibility remaining. He will serve as a top receiver option for much-improved quarterback Luke Altmyer, who will have one final year of eligibility.
BREAKING: West Virginia standout transfer WR Hudson Clement has signed with Illinois, @PeteNakos_ reports🍊https://t.co/kSYG7dZ8sR pic.twitter.com/errKAC8Zib
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) January 2, 2025
Here’s a quick review of his collegiate career
Hudson Clement, a West Virginia native, walked on for the West Virginia Mountaineers in the 2022 season but redshirted during his true freshman year. Clement won the starting job in his redshirt freshman season, starting eight of 11 games and finishing with 22 receptions for 480 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. The former walk-on broke out in his redshirt sophomore season, leading the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns with 51 receptions for 741 yards and five touchdowns in 2024.
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