Luke Altmyer Is Making a Bold Case to NFL Draft Scouts Right Now

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer is among the more underrated signal callers in the 2026 NFL Draft. Altmyer enters the draft having enjoyed a career-best season in 2025. He's impressed teams throughout the pre-draft process, both at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine.

Altmyer recently spoke exclusively with NFL Draft On SI. Altmyer discussed his excellent 2025 season, playing with bold confidence, winning a quarterback job, balancing accuracy with being aggressive and taking checkdowns, his busy pre-draft process, and more and more.

NFL Draft Interview: Illinois QB Luke Altmyer Expresses Bold Confidence

JM: You posted a career-high 67.4% completion percentage this past season. You tied your previous career high in touchdown passes with 22, and you also threw your fewest interceptions with just five. You made some clear improvements as a passer. What do you credit for the on-field gains?

Luke Altmyer: I had a lot of reps and experience going into the season. I just felt more comfortable and played with more confidence. I was very comfortable with the system and with our coaching staff. I knew offensive coordinator [Barry Lunney Jr.] well.

It was my third season at Illinois. I knew my teammates well. Playing in that conference for another year, there was just a lot of familiarity. Like anything, the more you do something, the better you get at it.

I worked really hard for it. I spent a lot of time watching tape. I really focused on the details and the areas I needed to get better at. I took good care of the football. I threw for a lot of yards and touchdowns, and we won a lot of games. That’s all part of the process.

JM: Speaking of the familiarity and comfort level you had within the offense, what were your responsibilities like at the line of scrimmage this past season? What did the coaching staff trust you with?

Luke Altmyer: They trusted me a lot. I communicated a bunch throughout the week with our head coach [Brett Bielema] and offensive coordinator. We discussed different ideas heading into every game. I always felt my ideas were very valued. My perspective was definitely valued.

I had a lot on my plate at the line of scrimmage. I was setting protections in the passing game. I had responsibilities in the run game as well. I could check us out of something and get us into the right play. I was trusted to maximize the offense on first, second, and third down.

The staff trusted my intelligence in those moments because they knew I spent all week preparing the right way.

Luke Altmyer - Illinois — Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) throws the ball during the 2025 Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Dec. 30, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

JM: As a quarterback with all that responsibility, you took really good care of the football with just five interceptions. How did you balance being aggressive with taking what the defense gave you?

Luke Altmyer: It’s all about making the right play. It’s a down-to-down thing, a situational basis. At the same time, I have a lot of trust in my arm. I believe I can make every throw on the field. I believe I’m very gifted from an arm talent standpoint.

I also understand when it’s situationally smart to take your checkdown. I know when to push the ball down the field and take those risks with the ball. You have to balance the risk factor with situational football.

I have a lot of trust and believe in myself in those moments. I trust my teammates and their understanding of the situation as well. We have to be smart with our decision making. You gotta know when to push it down the field and when to take those risks.

JM: That’s a terrific breakdown. You went to the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine as well. You’ve been at all the pre-draft showcases. What have you proven to scouts throughout this process?

Luke Altmyer: I’ve put a lot of good football on tape for them to see. I think it’s also been important for them to get to know me, how I think and what I care about. They’ve gotten to know my mentality.

I’ve made all of those things very apparent throughout this process. It’s been a fun process. Very busy, but very enjoyable. The scouts have seen that I bring a lot of value to the table.

I love winning games. I want to put my teammates in good spots while making everyone around me better. I hope they’ve seen my intangibles. I’ve tried to exemplify that throughout this process.

JM: There’s no doubt about that. You’ve been very busy with pre-draft meetings throughout this process as well.

Luke Altmyer: I’ve definitely been very busy. I’ve met with the Las Vegas Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, and Indianapolis Colts.

Those have been the most recent virtual meetings. All of them were fairly in depth. I’ve also spent some time talking with the Baltimore Ravens lately as well. I’ve been very busy. These teams are getting ready to make their NFL Draft decisions. I’ve just been trying to do my part.

JM: There’s a ton of interest in you and it’s easy to see why. You were a lot of fun to watch in 2025. You checked a lot of boxes at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine. We’ve appreciated your time today. What kind of impact is Luke Altmyer going to make at the next level?

Luke Altmyer: I win football games. I’ve done that at a pretty high level throughout the course of my career. The game is about winning. I do that by putting my team in good positions.

I’m going to make the team better. I think my talent shows up on tape. I have a lot of intangibles. I bring a lot of value to the table.