Illinois football has one of the biggest transfer portal steals based on grades

Writing Illini · Jul 19, 2026 14:22 · 3 min read

Illinois football has one of the biggest transfer portal steals based on grades — Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema gives players a hand after a 34-32 win against the Southern California Trojans at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While some people might be counting Illinois football out, recent ratings have shown that we may have landed the steal of the transfer portal.

Illinois football is an uncomfortable place right now, as a massive transition is happening.

The Illini hadn’t had a quality quarterback in years. Over the past three seasons, we have watched Luke Altmyer develop into one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten. He is now gone, trying to make his way in the NFL.

Bret Bielema is trying to transition away from the Altmyer era, and the transfer portal was the way to go this offseason. Now, the Illini go from one of the top Big Ten quarterbacks to potentially another one.

PFF College posted on social media the top graded returning Big Ten quarterbacks. Ohio State’s Julian Sayin is No. 1 with a grade of 92.9. Dante Moore for Oregon is No. 2 at 90.2, Anthony Colandrea for Nebraska is No. 3 at 89.9, and Jayden Maiava is No. 4 at 86.2.

Who does that No. 5 spot go to? Illinois’ new gunslinger, Katin Houser.

Houser had a grade of 84.0 last season with East Carolina. That registers at the No. 5 returning quarterback in the Big Ten.

The 2025 campaign was pretty special for Houser. He finished the season with 3,300 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. This was good enough to lead the Pirates to an 8-4 record.

There is an obvious caveat to this grade, though. Houser did it against weaker competition. Players like Sayin, Moore, Maiava, etc., played in the Big Ten last season.

Despite Houser being one of the top-rated quarterbacks in the Big Ten returning, he wasn’t a highly-rated transfer portal player.

Houser was a four-star transfer portal player, but he was only the No. 140 transfer portal player in the 2026 cycle. He was also just the No. 18 transfer portal quarterback. What that says to me is that Illinois got a steal and some tremendous value in the transfer portal market.

Katin Houser brings Illinois football plenty of power-four playing experience

While Houser’s grade from last season wasn’t against Big Ten competition, he has had plenty of power-four battles throughout his career.

During the 2025 campaign, Houser played on the road against North Carolina State and at home against BYU. In those two games, with not much help around him, Houser threw for 651 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He also completed 64.0% of his passes.

Houser also spent his first two seasons in the college ranks with Michigan State, so he knows the Big Ten.

For his career, Houser has a 62.8% completion rate and has thrown for 43 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. He wasn’t ranked as one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the Big Ten just weeks ago, but his PFF rating from last season says otherwise.

Once again, Bielema is not leaving Illinois on an island. We lost a great quarterback, but the transfer portal has provided us with help. Houser has a chance to continue this run of special football.