2026 Football Roster
Jersey Number 55
TJ McMillen
- Position:
- OL
- Class:
- Junior
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 300
- Major:
- Recreation, Sport, & Tourism
- Hometown:
- Naperville, Ill.
- High School:
- St. Francis
2026 Senior
- Attended the Uplifting Athletes Leadership Development Conference in Philadelphia
2025 Junior
- Played in all 13 games with one start at center
- First career start at center against Purdue (10/4/25)
2024 Sophomore
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Played in all 13 games
- Made Illini debut vs. Eastern Illinois (8/29/24)
2023 Freshman
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Did not play in a game and redshirted the season
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, On3, and Rivals
- Position ranks: #9 (Rivals), #11 (ESPN), #75 (247), #117 (On3)
- State ranks: #18 (Rivals), #21 (ESPN), #24 (247), #26 (On3)
- Played for head coach Bob McMillen, his dad, at St. Francis High School
- Four-year letterwinner
- 2022 IHFSCA 4A All-State
- 2022 News-Gazette All-State
- 2020 and 2021 IHFSCA First Team All-State Honorable Mention
- 2022 Red Grange Defensive Player of the Year
- Four-time Metro Suburban All-Conference unanimous selection
- Three-time Metro Suburban Offensive Lineman of the Year
- Two-time Metro Suburban Defensive Lineman of the Year
- Led team with 110 pancakes as a senior
- 68 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and a team-leading 14 hurries as a senior
- Three-time academic all-state
- Offers included Arizona State, Boston College, Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Penn State, Purdue, Syracuse, and Texas Tech
Personal
- Born on January 13, 2005
- Son of Bob and Joanie McMillen
- Father is a three-time Arena Bowl champion, 2008 AFL Hall of Fame inductee, and was the head coach of the Chicago Rush from 2008-15
- One brother, Bobby, and one sister, Shay
- Chose Illinois because, “I chose Illinois because I believed in what the coaching staff is doing with the program and the direction that they are taking. I really loved the famiLLy first mentality and the culture that is being built in the locker room.”
- Majoring in recreation, sport, and tourism
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
