Former Wisconsin top defensive lineman James Thompson Jr. is set to visit Illinois, according to his post on X.
Thompson entered the transfer portal this week after five years with the Badgers. He was a prominent force along their defensive line in 2022 and 2023 before missing most of the 2024 season with a torn pectoral muscle.
Related: Wisconsin football 2024 transfer portal departure tracker
The experienced lineman received a flurry of offers after entering the portal. He has announced visits to Texas A&M and the Illini at this point.
Were he to commit to the Aggies, he’d follow in the footsteps of former Wisconsin lineman Rodas Johnson, who did so after the 2023 campaign.
If Illinois is the choice, he’d not only join a Big Ten rival but also a program set to play the Badgers in 2025. Illini coach Bret Bielema’s connection to Wisconsin will further that storyline.
Thompson Jr. totaled 52 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and five sacks in two seasons as a starter for the Badgers. He’d be a significant addition for an Illinois team that is set to lose production off its defensive line.
I will be visiting the University of Illinois #FamILLy pic.twitter.com/tY3C9zD6tI
— James Thompson (@james_jr56) December 12, 2024
The Illini are 9-3 in 2024, tied for fifth in the Big Ten. It’s the program’s first nine-win season since 2007. A win in the Citrus Bowl over South Carolina would bring the program its first 10-win season since 2001.
Wisconsin, meanwhile, is working to build its defensive line with Thompson Jr., Curt Neal (transfer) and Elijah Hills (eligibility) all gone from the 2024 group. This position could do a lot to decide the result when these two teams meet in late-November.
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