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Top 50 most important Illini: No. 15, Jake Hansen

Related Topics: Tarpon Springs, Florida

Vitals: 6-2, 230, LB

Hometown: Tarpon Springs, Fla.

High School: East Lake

Looking back at 2017: Hansen was all set to see his role increase last fall after making one start but playing in all 12 games primarily on special teams as a true freshman in 2016. The weakside linebacker spot was his. Then Hansen tore his ACL during training camp and had season-ending surgery. It was the first of what turned out to be many injuries among the Illini linebackers last season that put an already-thin position group further into flux.