LAS VEGAS — Illinois seniors Luke Altmyer and Gabe Jacas were named to the Big Ten's Preseason Honors list, which was announced Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas. The prestigious 15-player list signifies the top players in the Big Ten, as projected by the media.
Altmyer is one of the top returning quarterbacks in the nation and one of two quarterbacks to earn Big Ten Preseason Honors, along with Penn State's Drew Allar. Altmyer threw for 2,717 yards and 22 touchdowns last season while leading Illinois to its first 10-win season since 2001.
Jacas had 74 tackles, 13.0 tackles for loss, and 8.0 sacks last season to lead the Illinois defense. The projected All-American finished tied for the second-most sacks in Big Ten games (7.0) last season.
Atlmyer and Jacas are two of 18 returning starters from Illinois' Cheez-It Citrus Bowl victory over South Carolina. The Illini were picked to finish fourth in the Big Ten in a media poll conducted by Cleveland.com, the team's highest projection in the 15 years of the publication's preseason poll.
Illinois has two honorees on the Big Ten Preseason Honors list for the first time. Jer'Zhan Newton was on the Big Ten Preseason Honors list in 2023, becoming the first Illini player selected since Nate Scheelhaase in 2011.
Illinois will be featured throughout Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days. Head coach Bret Bielema's main stage press conference will air live on Big Ten Network at 1:30 p.m. CT, the Illini's student-athlete representatives will join the BTN studio set at 5:30 p.m. CT, and Bielema will speak at the BTN studio set at 5:45 p.m. CT.
2025 Big Ten Preseason Honors
QB Luke Altmyer, ILL
OLB Gabe Jacas, ILL
DL Mikail Kamara, IND
DB D'Angelo Ponds, IND
OT Gennings Dunker, IOWA
C Logan Jones, IOWA
DB Koi Perich, MINN
OLB Matayo Uiagalelei, ORE
DB Dillon Thieneman, ORE
SAF Caleb Downs, OSU
WR JEREMIAH SMITH, OSU
LB Sonny Styles, OSU
QB Drew Allar, PSU
DE Dani Dennis-Sutton, PSU
RB Nicholas Singleton, PSU
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
*Additional honorees due to ties.
