Chambana Sun

Nate McNeal has been appointed as the Executive Director of Player Evaluations and Acquisitions for the Illinois football team, as announced by head coach Bret Bielema. McNeal is returning to Illinois after serving as the General Manager at Syracuse for the 2024 season.

"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."

General Manager Patrick Embleton also expressed enthusiasm about McNeal's return: "I am excited to reunite with Nate. 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."

McNeal shared his gratitude for this opportunity: "Thank you to Coach Bielema, Patrick Embleton, Josh Whitman, and Roger Denny for the opportunity to return to Illinois. 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."

During his time at Syracuse, McNeal led the team through a successful 10-3 season in 2024, culminating in a victory over Washington State in the Holiday Bowl. Under his leadership, Syracuse achieved its first 10-win season since 2018.

Previously at Illinois, McNeal held various roles including Director of Player Personnel (2022-23), Director of Recruiting (2021), and Director of High School Relations (2016-18). His efforts contributed significantly to improving Illinois' recruiting performance during these periods.

A native of Chicago with strong ties to Illinois football culture, McNeal started his career at Northern Illinois University where he also played safety from 2011-13 before transitioning into administrative roles post-graduation.