Former Baseball Star Shocks Football World | Illinois Fighting Illini Football News

Illinois football’s got a wild card for 2026: 25-year-old former pro baseball player Will Holmes, with barely two years of organized football under his belt. Defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck called him “hard to handle” after just one preseason practice—early hype that hints at elite athleticism and adaptability. Could he be the hybrid weapon they’re building around? With his baseball background possibly translating into unexpected skills on the gridiron, Holmes is already turning heads—and this could be the breakout story of the season. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/028c1f985cc09a32