No. 40: Why he’s important: The first quarterback to make the cut, he likely won’t see the field this season. That is, of course, if Wes Lunt can stay healthy and productive throughout the regular season. Lunt battled injuries in 2014, along with some inconsistency, but was pretty solid for much of 2015. The quarterback job is his to lose in 2016. But the work Fitzgerald, along with Chayce Crouch and Jeff George Jr., put in this season won’t be for naught even if Lunt, a fifth-year senior, takes all the meaningful snaps for the Illini.
Jimmy Fitzgerald, QB
Top 50 Illini Football Players of 2016: No. 40, Jimmy Fitzgerald
