Illinois senior LB Jake Hansen (knee) announced via his Twitter account that he is done for the season following knee surgery.
Hansen (6'1/230) took things a bit further than announcing he is done for the season, by informing the team and fans alike that he is calling it a career at Illinois, and looks forward to pursuing his dreams of playing in the NFL. Hansen had actually declared for the NFL Draft in 2021, but opted to return to Illinois after further consideration. Hansen registered 32 tackles on the season, including one sack and two forced fumbles. Phil Steele named Hansen as a Preseason All-Big Team first team linebacker.