One of the highest-rated recruits in recent Illinois football history is no longer on the team.
Head coach Bret Bielema announced after Saturday’s walk-off win over USC that wide receiver Malik Elzy left
the program.
A four-star prospect out of Chicago, Elzy played 23 games for the Illini, but had just 16 receptions for 213 yards and two touchdowns.
He caught seven passes in this season’s first three games, but was ruled out Saturday against the Trojans.
In a statement to On3, Elzy’s agent said:
“Update on one of my clients. Malik Elzy has decided to redshirt this season — this is a strategic move to fully develop and prepare himself to maximize his potential for the rest of his college career. He’s extremely grateful to Illinois, the coaches, teammates, and fans for their support, and he leaves with respect for the program. Malik was the Illini’s highest-rated recruit since 2019, and we’re confident this redshirt year will set him up to live up to that potential moving forward.”
