Why he's important:This one's fairly straightforward. McLaughlin is the only kicker on the Illinois roster with experience, with James McCourt also on the roster but coming off a redshirt season in 2016 as a true freshman. McLaughlin took over all of the Illini's kicking duties last season after redshirting in 2014 and not playing in 2015. The Cypress, Texas, native made 12 of 17 field goals and all 26 of his point after attempts with the peak of his season coming with three field goals in consecutive games against Nebraska and Purdue. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound specialist ultimately took control of kickoff duties for the Illini as well, averaging 61.
Top 50 most important Illini No. 19: Chase McLaughlin, K
