CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Nate McNeal rejoined the Illinois football staff as Executive Director of Player Evaluations and Acquisitions, head coach Bret Bielema announced. McNeal returns to Illinois after spending the 2024 season as the General Manager at Syracuse.
"I am excited to bring Nate back to our personnel staff," said Bielema. "Nate is a talented recruiter and evaluator who has built strong connections throughout the state of Illinois and nationwide that helped shape our current roster. He has an established trust and understanding within our building with coaches and staff. We look forward to his return to Champaign."
"I am excited to reunite with Nate," said General Manager Patrick Embleton. "Nate was here from the start with Coach Bielema and embodies everything we look for in our program: tough, smart, dependable. He will be a huge addition in the retention and recruitment of our players and will continue to uphold the value and standards of Illinois."
"Thank you to Coach Bielema, Patrick Embleton, Josh Whitman, and Roger Denny for the opportunity to return to Illinois," said McNeal. "It is a blessing to return to a place that I consider home and be back with the Illini famILLy. The future is bright for this program and I'm excited to be a part of it."
McNeal helped Syracuse to a 10-3 season in 2024 while leading the personnel staff for the Orange. Syracuse brought in the No. 24 transfer class in the nation according to 247Sports, a group that helped the Orange to a 52-35 win over Washington State in the Holiday Bowl to cap the program's first 10-win season since 2018.
McNeal previously served as the Fighting Illini's Director of Player Personnel (2022-23), Director of Recruiting (2021), and Director of High School Relations (2016-18) over the course of six seasons and two stints in Champaign.
A Chicago native and product of Thornwood High School, McNeal has deep ties to the state of Illinois. In addition to his six seasons at Illinois, McNeal spent three years on staff at his alma mater, Northern Illinois, from 2014-16 following a three-year playing career with the Huskies during one of the best eras in NIU history from 2011-13.
McNeal returned to Illinois for a second stint with the Fighting Illini in 2021 to reunite with Embleton during Bielema's first season as head coach. McNeal was instrumental in Illinois' improvements, as the Illini's two-year stretch of recruiting from 2022-23 was Illinois' best since 2008-09 according to 247Sports and Rivals. The 2023 class was Illinois' highest-ranked class since 2009 according to Rivals and highest-ranked since 2011 according to 247Sports, as Illinois had back-to-back top-50 recruiting classes for the first time since 2008-09 according to 247Sports. The Illini also signed back-to-back Illinois Gatorade Players of the Year (WR Hank Beatty, RB Kaden Feagin) for the first time in program history in 2022 and 2023.
Between his first two stints in Champaign, McNeal spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons at Temple as Director of Player Personnel. He oversaw all recruiting efforts for the Owls.
McNeal got his start working in college football at Northern Illinois. He served two seasons on staff at NIU as a graduate assistant for football operations, video, and special teams before being promoted to director of player personnel from January-July 2016.
McNeal was a safety at Northern Illinois from 2011-13. He played in 16 games during his NIU career, including all 14 games as a redshirt senior in 2013. McNeal helped the Huskies win the 2012 MAC Championship Game and become the first MAC team to make a BCS bowl when they played in the Orange Bowl. During McNeal's senior year, he helped the Huskies to an undefeated regular season and berths in the 2013 MAC Championship Game and the 2013 Poinsettia Bowl.
McNeal graduated from Northern Illinois with a degree in communications in 2013 and completed a master's in sports management in 2015.
"I am excited to bring Nate back to our personnel staff," said Bielema. "Nate is a talented recruiter and evaluator who has built strong connections throughout the state of Illinois and nationwide that helped shape our current roster. He has an established trust and understanding within our building with coaches and staff. We look forward to his return to Champaign."
"I am excited to reunite with Nate," said General Manager Patrick Embleton. "Nate was here from the start with Coach Bielema and embodies everything we look for in our program: tough, smart, dependable. He will be a huge addition in the retention and recruitment of our players and will continue to uphold the value and standards of Illinois."
"Thank you to Coach Bielema, Patrick Embleton, Josh Whitman, and Roger Denny for the opportunity to return to Illinois," said McNeal. "It is a blessing to return to a place that I consider home and be back with the Illini famILLy. The future is bright for this program and I'm excited to be a part of it."
McNeal helped Syracuse to a 10-3 season in 2024 while leading the personnel staff for the Orange. Syracuse brought in the No. 24 transfer class in the nation according to 247Sports, a group that helped the Orange to a 52-35 win over Washington State in the Holiday Bowl to cap the program's first 10-win season since 2018.
McNeal previously served as the Fighting Illini's Director of Player Personnel (2022-23), Director of Recruiting (2021), and Director of High School Relations (2016-18) over the course of six seasons and two stints in Champaign.
A Chicago native and product of Thornwood High School, McNeal has deep ties to the state of Illinois. In addition to his six seasons at Illinois, McNeal spent three years on staff at his alma mater, Northern Illinois, from 2014-16 following a three-year playing career with the Huskies during one of the best eras in NIU history from 2011-13.
McNeal returned to Illinois for a second stint with the Fighting Illini in 2021 to reunite with Embleton during Bielema's first season as head coach. McNeal was instrumental in Illinois' improvements, as the Illini's two-year stretch of recruiting from 2022-23 was Illinois' best since 2008-09 according to 247Sports and Rivals. The 2023 class was Illinois' highest-ranked class since 2009 according to Rivals and highest-ranked since 2011 according to 247Sports, as Illinois had back-to-back top-50 recruiting classes for the first time since 2008-09 according to 247Sports. The Illini also signed back-to-back Illinois Gatorade Players of the Year (WR Hank Beatty, RB Kaden Feagin) for the first time in program history in 2022 and 2023.
Between his first two stints in Champaign, McNeal spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons at Temple as Director of Player Personnel. He oversaw all recruiting efforts for the Owls.
McNeal got his start working in college football at Northern Illinois. He served two seasons on staff at NIU as a graduate assistant for football operations, video, and special teams before being promoted to director of player personnel from January-July 2016.
McNeal was a safety at Northern Illinois from 2011-13. He played in 16 games during his NIU career, including all 14 games as a redshirt senior in 2013. McNeal helped the Huskies win the 2012 MAC Championship Game and become the first MAC team to make a BCS bowl when they played in the Orange Bowl. During McNeal's senior year, he helped the Huskies to an undefeated regular season and berths in the 2013 MAC Championship Game and the 2013 Poinsettia Bowl.
McNeal graduated from Northern Illinois with a degree in communications in 2013 and completed a master's in sports management in 2015.
