Illinois OL Andrew Dennis enters the NCAA Transfer Portal

Illinois offensive lineman Andrew Dennis has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. Dennis is a Class of 2024 signee and has not yet played a game for the Fighting Illini. However, he is now examining his options in the portal.

Dennis played high school football at Mt. Pleasant (MI), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 226 overall recruit in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Dennis committed to Illinois on Nov. 27, 2023. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound OL also took visits to Penn State and Clemson during his recruiting process. Dennis initially made a verbal commitment to Michigan State before flipping his commitment to Illinois.

“I have had a great relationship with the staff at Illinois for well over a year,” Andrew Dennis told On3 when he committed to Illinois. “I had a lot of the questions that had already been answered going into the visit, so I was excited to meet the guys on the team and see how I meshed with them. The style of play, the coaching, and the guys on the team made me realize that it was the right fit.”

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema played a massive role in securing Dennis’ commitment to the program.

“Coach B has had a tremendous history with developing his offensive line,” Dennis explained. “Looking at his past timeline, you can see how he prioritizes his guys up front.

“They were very respectful toward me during the whole process and they didn’t push me, they were always supportive,” Dennis said of the Illini coaching staff. “They believed in me before any Power 5 program did. They’ve been there since the beginning.”

Dennis is the 17th Illinois player who has entered the transfer portal. The team has also added seven players, earning the No. 29 spot in On3’s Transfer Portal Team Rankings. Three of the program’s seven incoming transfers are offensive linemen.

Illinois took a step back last season, finish the 2023 campaign with a 5-7 record and 3-6 mark in the Big Ten. It was Bielema’s third year at the helm. In 2022, Bielema boosted the Fighting Illini to an impressive 8-5 overall record and 5-4 record in conference play.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. 

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.