2023 Football Roster
Jersey Number 54
Julian Pearl
- Position:
- OL
- Class:
- Senior
- Height:
- 6-6
- Weight:
- 315
- Hometown:
- Danville, Ill.
- High School:
- Danville
 Two-Time All-Big Ten |
2023 Senior
- All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (coaches and media)
- Started all 12 games at left tackle
- 23 consecutive starts at left tackle since missing game at Indiana (9/2/22)
- Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten second team
- Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten third team
2022 Junior
- All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (coaches and media)
- Started 12 of 13 games at left tackle
- Missed the Indiana game with an injury
- Part of the first offensive line in Illinois history to be named a Joe Moore Award semifinalist
2021 Sophomore
- Played in 12 games with 11 starts
2020 Sophomore
- Played seven games and started four at right tackle
- First career start at Nebraska 11/21/20
2019 Redshirt Freshman
- Played in three games as a backup lineman
- Made Illinois debut in the season opener against Akron
2018 Freshman
- Redshirted 2018 season (Did not play)
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN
- Two-star recruit by Rivals
- Ranked No. 531 recruit in the nation by 247Sports
- Ranked No. 41 OT in the nation by 247Sports and No. 107 by ESPN
- Ranked No. 7 recruit in Illinois by 247Sports and No. 28 by ESPN
- Played for head coach Marcus Forrest at Danville
- 2017 USA Today All-USA Illinois second team
- 2017 IHSFCA 6A All-State honorable mention
- 2017 All-Big 12 first team
- 2017 Champaign News-Gazette All-Area
- Led Danville to back-to-back IHSA playoff berths
- High school teammate of fellow Illini Caleb Griffin
- Also played basketball in high school
- Verbally committed to Illinois in April 2017
- Also offered by Northern Illinois
Personal
- Born Oct. 6, 1999
- Son of Ronique Heard
- Two older brothers, Tayvian Johnson and Avery Pearl, and one younger sister, Dasia Middlebrooks
- Brother, Tayvian Johnson, played Division III football
- Brother, Avery, played Division III basketball
- Picked Illinois because, “it would give me a chance to represent and improve my hometown and state.”
- Listed Lebron James as his favorite athlete because he “does everything the right way and is a humble person.”
- Majoring in sociology
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 3/5/26
Thursday, March 05
Illinois Football | Bobby Hauck Introductory Press Conference 2/12/26
Thursday, February 12
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 2/4/26
Thursday, February 05
Illinois Football | Xavier Scott Return Announcement Press Conference Press Conference 1/21/26
Wednesday, January 21
