Finishing the regular season 9-3, the #22 Illinois Fighting Illini are set to play in the highest tier of non-College Football Playoff bowl games. When you’re in a non-CFP bowl game these days, opt-outs, especially from those with high NFL Draft stock, are very common. Wide Receiver Pat Bryant is the player that Illini fans are keeping their eye on in this regard.
His NFL Draft projections, at least right now, seem to be all over the map, so one has to really wonder how accurate those projections truly are.
What we do know is that this kid can ball, and he’s had a record-setting season at Illinois in 2024. His statistics and production are befitting of a first-rounder, but right now, it seems like Pat Bryant has a ceiling that is more in line with day. It’s possible that he could still end up a mid-round prospect however.
Saturday saw the senior from Jacksonville, Florida tie the Illini single-season record for touchdown receptions with his 10th score of the campaign.
The TD reception, which saw him pull level with Illini legends Brandon Lloyd and David Williams, came on a 43-yard grab in the third quarter of today’s 38-28 win over Northwestern at Wrigley Field.
Bryant totaled four catches for 70 yards in what was technically a home game for NU, but contained a crowd that was overwhelmingly orange and blue.
Speculation has run rampant that Bryant will opt, and many Illini fans believe he ultimately will, as bowl games do bring a major risk for injury (and thus a devaluation of NFL Draft stock), especially so for offensive skill position guys.
I am incredibly proud of @duvalpat3 for tying the @IlliniFootball single season touchdown record! PB is in the pantheon of #ILLINI greats. Now it’s time to break the record in a big time bowl game on National TV! #LEGENDARY #ILL #ILLINOISFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/0nutFs2HhI
— Brandon Lloyd (@mrblloyd) December 1, 2024
Earlier this week, Bryant spoke of playing two more games, not one, at Illinois. During the postgame press conference today, Illini coach Bret Bielema mentioned how Pat was excited to get win #9 and is now looking at getting win #10.
Asked today whether he’ll play in the bowl game or not, Bryant said: “It’ll be great to go out with my guys one more time.”
So there you have it, double and even tripling down on Pat Bryant (who is kind of reminiscent of former Illini WR Walter Young, but with less size and more speed) opting IN for the bowl game.
Lloyd himself flew in from Denver to take in the game today, and according to Illini coach Bret Bielema, he was speaking of “when,” not “if” Bryant would tie (and then soon break) his record.
Bryant spoke of Lloyd being on hand to watch him tie his record, saying: “just a baller recognizing a baller.”
With 10+ more receiving yards in the bowl game, Bryant would have himself a top ten season in Illini history. With 166+ he would move into the top three.
Of course today was “the Aidan Laughery game” has earned the game ball, and then some. Laughery rushed for 172 yards and three touchdowns, both of which were career-best marks, at Wrigley Field today, evoking memories of Mikel LeShoure and his 330 at the Friendly Confines versus Northwestern in 2010.
Laughery got there on just 12 carries, averaging 14.3 yards per rushing attempt, as he surpassed Josh McCray to become the Illini season leader in rushing yards.
Said Pat Bryant: “We saw that same Aidan in fall camp and spring ball.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.