Big-bodied Illinois TE with stretch-the-field upside
In the 2025 season, Cole Rusk emerged as a useful receiving tight end for Illinois, finishing with 19 catches for 217 yards and a touchdown after missing 2024 with a knee injury. He’s a 6-foot-5, 250-pound target with real field-stretching ability for the position, and Illinois beat writers noted his growing role and confidence down the stretch. If you want a TE who can threaten seams, create matchup problems, and keep expanding as he gets more reps, Rusk is worth caring about.
