Illinois Football 2026 Scouting Report: Linebacker Grant Beerman

Grant Beerman played a key special teams role for the Illini in 2025 as a freshman, but he is expectes to step into a much larger role in 2026

Oct 4, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema watches warm ups before the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Illinois on SI is delivering scouting reports for each of the key players on the Illini football team's 2026 roster. Below, we present our breakdown of sophomore linebacker Grant Beerman. We will add more as other on-field contributors emerge during the season.

Grant Beerman | Linebacker | Sophomore | No. 33

Hometown: West Chester, Ohio

High school: Lakota West

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 240 pounds

Scouting report

If there is one word to describe Grant Beerman, it’s “unicorn." He stands at a whopping 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, but he has the speed of a much smaller player. Few defenders, even at the Big Ten level, have his blend of size and athleticism.

His unique physical package equips him to be a dangerous chess piece for the Illinois defense. Beerman is tremendously versatile, which should make it even easier for him to force his way onto the field. And once he's on it, Beerman is essentially the defensive version of a walking mismatch, with his ability to maneuver around blocks against stronger opponents, push through more athletic offensive players and patrol his zone in coverage.

Experience

Lakota West linebacker Grant Beerman (1) sets up during the Firebirds' 17-13 win over St. Xavier Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

A four-star recruit in the class of 2025, Beerman was a prized addition from the high school ranks last season – and the Illini wasted no time putting Beerman to work. In his freshman campaign, Beerman appeared in 11 games, although it was almost entirely on special teams.

Throughout the spring and fall, Beerman has battled injuries. He is expected to be back for the season opener, but it remains to be seen whether he will be a major part of the game plan right away. (Illinois coach Bret Bielema told the media Beerman returned on Aug. 20.)

Media highlights

Countdown to kickoff Day 33: Grant Beerman

Entering his second year in Champaign, the six-foot five former composite four-star recruit offers an intriguing skillset to the #Illini linebacking corps after playing primarily on special teams as a freshman. pic.twitter.com/a41o8dfwkw

— Tristan Thomas (@TristanThomasTV) August 2, 2026

What they're saying

Illinois inside linebackers coach Roger Cooper on Beerman:

“That’s the best thing about Grant Beerman, is that he can play multiple spots. We have some guys on the defense – you got one spot. And that’s where your body puts you. But he can play four different spots. He can play all three linebacker spots.”

2026 outlook

As mentioned, Beerman is working himself back up to speed, which makes for poor timing with the Illini in the midst of a defensive transition. The adjustment to a 3-3-5 scheme isn’t necessarily the Herculean task it has sometimes been made out to be this offseason, but learning any new system with minimal on-field reps is difficult.

Once Beerman is up to speed, though, he should be a key member of Illinois’ linebacker group. Where he specifically slots isn’t cemented and, based on his positional fluidity, he may bounce around throughout the season.