One of Illinois' best defensive players is officially headed to the SEC. Per his Twitter account, former Fighting Illini linebacker T.J. Neal announced that he's headed to Auburn to play for head coach Gus Malzahn. Neal, a two-year starter for the Illini, was second on the team in tackles last season (109). He'll be eligible to play immediately for the Tigers as a graduate transfer.
Neal appeared in a total of 38 games for Illinois, totaling 245 tackles (21.5 TFL) and 1 forced fumble.
Here's the statement that Neal issued from his Twitter account after he announced his transfer.