A scouting report on Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer assesses his potential as a mid-Day 3 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The report highlights his anticipation and athleticism while noting inconsistencies in accuracy and processing. Altmyer participated in the 2026 Senior Bowl after a productive college career.
Luke Altmyer, a redshirt senior quarterback for Illinois standing at 6-foot-1 5/8 inches and 210 pounds, has drawn attention ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Steelers Depot scouting report praises his quick release, decent arm strength, and ability to throw accurately in short areas against both zone and man coverage. He demonstrates good anticipation, calm pocket feet, and solid rushing vision, with career stats at Illinois showing 632 completions out of 985 attempts for 7,607 yards, 57 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions over three seasons, plus 293 rushes for 741 yards and 12 scores. In 2025, he completed 246 of 367 passes (67%) for 3,007 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions, while rushing 100 times for 242 yards and 5 touchdowns. He started 35 games at Illinois after transferring from Ole Miss, where he had one start across two seasons. Altmyer earned 2025 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors, served as team captain that year, and received 2024 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and Academic All-Big Ten recognition. A four-star recruit from Starkville High School in Mississippi, he was a 2021 Under Armour All-American and top-five player in his state. He majored in Crop Sciences and turns 24 in October 2026. Injuries included a 2023 head injury that sidelined him for the final three games and an early exit in 2022 at Ole Miss against Central Arkansas. Weaknesses cited include small size, average play strength, inconsistent deep-ball accuracy leading to underthrows and interceptions on crossers, reluctance to push deep, struggles escaping pressure, and inconsistent full-field processing. The report projects him as a mid-Day 3 pure backup with a grade of 6.4, based on games like those against Indiana, USC, Ohio State, Washington, Wisconsin, and Tennessee in 2025.
