Illinois Football Lands Offensive Tackle over Nebraska!

Illinois Football lands Offensive Tackle, Caleb Pyrform over Nebraska!

The Illini are ramping up their 2024 recruiting and are looking to the trenches. In a Big Ten that adds UCLA and USC to the fold in 2024, the Fighting Illini and head coach Bret Bielema know they must be good in the trenches. Illinois has signed six linemen, two of them offensive linemen. Zafir Stewart and Brandon Henson were the first two offensive line signees in the class of 2024. Now they are joined by Caleb Pyrform. The Omaha, Nebraska native is the 51st-ranked offensive lineman in the country and the fifth-ranked prospect in Nebraska.

Committed. #ILL #HTTO pic.twitter.com/A0fyFXZKpA

— Caleb Pyfrom (@PyfromCaleb) June 29, 2023

Another Power Five win for Illinois

Pyrform’s commitment gives the Illini a colossal recruiting win over rival Nebraska and several other Power Five teams. Minnesota, Purdue, Colorado, Missouri, and Penn State were among the suitors for Pyrform’s services. The Omaha native is the program’s 15th commit in the 2024 class. Twelve of those 15 signees had Power Five offers. Tysean Griffin, Eddie Tuerk, Demetrius John, Trey Petty, and Vernon Woodward are among other members of the class with at least one Power Five offer. Just as important, the Illini, led by offensive line coach (and Omaha native) Bart Miller, can go into another program’s backyard and sign a high-priority recruit.

How he fits

One of the reasons Pyrform was sought after so aggressively is his upside. He has excellent size at 6-foot-5 and 350 pounds and can play tackle or guard. Miller has done a tremendous job finding and signing high-ceiling developmental linemen for the Illini. Brandon Henderson, Brandon Hanson, and Zachary Aamland all fit that description. Pyrform is a mauler in the run game and has loads of potential as a pass protector. He also knows Bielema’s reputation for putting offensive linemen in the NFL. “It’s pretty impressive that Coach Bielema is the person who has put the second-most linemen in the NFL, only second to Nick Saban,” Pyfrom said. “That’s pretty cool to see what they’ve been able to do with the offensive line position.”