Chambana Sun

Tanner Arkin’s football journey has been marked by notable coincidences and deliberate hard work. His first football game was Ohio State at Wisconsin under head coach Bret Bielema, who now leads the Illinois team where Arkin plays. His initial collegiate touchdown was against Wisconsin, a team he once supported.

Arkin's current success at Illinois is a result of consistent effort throughout his career. He has earned the opportunity to start and serve as a team captain for the Fighting Illini football team this season. "I want to set the standard with the way I play every day, how I interact with people, and how I carry myself," Arkin said. "It's a huge honor and responsibility to always put my best foot forward."

Football has been integral to Arkin's life since birth. His grandfather was a long-time high school football coach, instilling a love for the sport in the family. Growing up near Kenosha, Wisconsin, Arkin supported local teams like the Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers.

Arkin began playing organized football in third grade with a local flag football league and later joined rec league tackle football after moving to Colorado. By high school, he played varsity as an outside linebacker before shifting focus back to his preferred position of tight end.

His potential became evident during his early high school years when he started an offseason 7-on-7 team called the Warriors. This led to serious recruitment interest from colleges.

However, injuries posed significant challenges during his junior year in high school when he broke his collarbone twice within one season. Despite these setbacks, his mother Veronica remained confident in his resilience: "He had a great attitude and persevered."

Arkin faced another injury—a broken fibula—during his senior year amid the COVID-19 pandemic but still committed to Colorado State University in December 2020.

At Colorado State, Arkin redshirted after limited playtime during his freshman year but saw more action as a redshirt freshman with 14 catches for 116 yards over 12 games.

Deciding to transfer after two seasons at Colorado State, Arkin quickly received offers from several power-conference programs before committing to Illinois under Coach Bret Bielema. "I wanted to go to a place where I could develop with good coaches," Arkin stated.

Transitioning far from home for the first time presented new challenges for both Tanner and his family. His mother recalled asking him to call daily initially: “He still calls me every day.”

On-field adjustments were necessary too. "I had to adjust a lot," Arkin admitted about transitioning into Big Ten football at Illinois. In his first season there, he played all 12 games with three starts at tight end.

A standout moment came when he caught a touchdown pass against Wisconsin during Illinois’ Homecoming game—a special moment for both him and his family given their past support for Wisconsin.

Now entering his second season at Illinois with another touchdown already recorded, Arkin serves as a team captain—a role that surprised him but one he embraces fully: “It was an awesome feeling knowing that my teammates trust me.”