Illinois lands impact tight end in transfer portal

Ahead of Illinois basketball’s big game Friday night at No. 1 Purdue, Illinois football picked up a big win.

Murray State tight end Cole Rusk announced his commitment to Illinois.

It was a one-word tweet on X: “home.”

Rusk visited Illinois this week, posting a photo from the Illini’s men’s basketball game against Northwestern on Tuesday.

A native of Rock Island, Illinois, Rusk was named Third-Team FCS All-American last season with Murray State (39 catches, 512 yards, 6 TDs). The 6-foot-6, 245-pound target has two years of eligibility remaining.

According to 247, Rusk had offers from other Power Five programs, including Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and Washington State.

Expect Rusk to get immediate playing time in 2024, with the departure of big tight end Tip Reiman.