What an offseason it’s been for new head coach Bret Bielema.
On Tuesday afternoon, Roderick Perry II announced he would be foregoing the NFL Draft and returning to the Illini for the 2021 season.
Perry joins a long list of Illinois seniors that decided to run things back for one more season in Champaign, including fellow defensive linemen Owen Carney Jr., Isaiah Gay and Jamal Woods.
Perry started in every game for the Illini after transferring from South Carolina State where he was a FCS Preseason All-American. He was the highest-rated draft-eligible defensive tackle in the Big Ten according to Phil Steele and collected over 17 tackles, 2.