Not every Illinois football player started out at the position they finished, and Alex Pihlstrom is a shining example of this.
Pihlstrom joined the Illini program as a walk-on. He started his career in Champaign as a tight end but would eventually shift over to the offensive line his junior year. He would make a couple of starts at guard in 2020, and then in his final two seasons with the Orange and Blue, Pihlstrom would become our center.
It wasn’t an accolade ladened Illinois career for Pihlstrom. He did have a great senior year, though.