2 weeks Ago
Terik Mulder was set to play football this year at Limestone University. Unfortunately, Limestone had other plans for its football team. The former Division II program officially shut down last week, leaving all its student-athletes in scramble mode.
Among them, Mulder is a player who has garnered a ton of interest across the college football landscape. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound tight end still has two years of eligibility remaining and has received offers from multiple Division I programs – now including Illinois. Not bad for a player who didn't catch a past last season, right? Mulder, who only recently transferred to Limestone, attended Division I FCS Presbyterian College in 2024, playing in only four games.
But as a sophomore in 2023, he caught nine passes for 118 yards and four touchdowns. Given that the Illini just lost Jake Furtney to the portal earlier this week, it's a solid move by Illini coach Bret Bielema and his staff. Taking a shot on Mulder, from Lexington, Kentucky, is a toss-up.
But Illinois already has depth at tight end, so it's a low-stakes gamble that will be a pleasant development if it pays off. Mulder can focus on development in 2025 and, in a perfect world, blossom in 2026. For that to happen, though, Illinois will first have to beat out several other schools, including Big Ten foe Maryland.
Mulder has also received offers from Kent State, Southern Mississippi, South Alabama and Georgia Southern. More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:.
