Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 42-23vs UAB | 3 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 2 | L 27-31vs Duke | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 7 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#33
Grant Beerman
Sophomore linebacker for Illinois. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′5″ · 235 lb · West Chester, OH · Lakota West
Returning to Illinois for 2026
The numbers
7
tackles · 2026
1 TFL · 1 PBU
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, 1 TFL, vs UAB
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for Illinois. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Illinois in 2025.
Grant Beerman
This is his second year in the same linebacker corps at Illinois. The receipt: 3 tackles against Duke — Week 2, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2025
- Signed with Illinois4-star out of Lakota West
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Illinois
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Bret Bielema — 10-5 over that span.
2025Illinois9-4HC: Bret Bielema · Run-leaning
2026Illinois1-1HC: Bret Bielema · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: qb hurries (83rd percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.5 TKL/g, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.5 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bret Bielema
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 42–23
vs UAB
3 TOT · 3 SOLO · 1 TFL
With K. Houser — 182 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 98.9 · 29 rush yds (3 car) · 1 TD · C. Valentine — 88 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Illinois
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Illinois
Returning around him
- 3 Illinois players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -7 net (20 in / 27 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Illinois · Last season: 9-4 (AP #23) · Talent rank #51 · 2026 recruiting class #24
Background
2025 - Illinois Played in the final 11 games, primarily on special teams Recorded first-career tackle, a solo stop, at Washington (10/25/25) High School Four-star recruit by Rivals and 247Composite Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, and On3 Position ranks: #16 (ESPN), #36 (Rivals), #69 (On3),...
The linebacker corps · Illinois
- #45Robert Edmonson47 tackles · 2025
- #24William Holmes45 tackles · 2025
- #10James Kreutz30 tackles · 2025
- #4Daniel Brown11 tackles · 2025
- #33Grant Beerman1 tackle · 2025
10 more on the roster · Illinois team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology