Chambana Sun

Illinois senior wide receiver and All-America punt returner Hank Beatty has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2025 Paul Hornung Award. The announcement was made by the Louisville Sports Commission.

The Paul Hornung Award, presented by Texas Roadhouse, is given each year to the most versatile player in major college football. The award was established in January 2010 by the Louisville Sports Commission with support from Paul Hornung, a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

Recent winners of the award include Travis Hunter from Colorado, who won in both 2023 and 2024, and Jack Colletto from Oregon State, who received it in 2022.

Beatty’s recognition follows several recent honors. He was selected for the 2025 Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten Second Team (Punt Return) and the 2025 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten Second Team (Punt Return). In 2024, he earned Phil Steele All-American Honorable Mention as well as spots on both the media’s All-Big Ten Third Team and coaches’ honorable mention lists.

In the previous season, Beatty led the Big Ten Conference with an average of 14.1 yards per punt return, ranking fourth nationally. His total of 310 punt return yards is second-best in Illinois single-season history, trailing only Dike Eddleman’s record set in 1947. Offensively, Beatty caught 20 passes for 294 yards and one touchdown during the season. He finished with a career-high of 90 receiving yards in Illinois' Cheez-It Citrus Bowl victory over #14 South Carolina.

Other Illinois players have also been named to national preseason watch lists as of July 31: Luke Altmyer (Maxwell Award), J.C. Davis (Outland Trophy), Gabe Jacas (Lott IMPACT Trophy and Bronko Nagurski Trophy), Kenenna Odeluga (Allstate Wuerffel Trophy), and Xavier Scott (Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Paycom Jim Thorpe Award).

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