Ian Willis, Illinois State WR: the 2026 season story
Ian Willis is a sophomore wide receiver for Illinois State (MVFC). He ranks 924th of 988 wide receivers in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every wide receiver on the measures that matter at the position, adjusted for the opponents he faced.
Scouting report
Why it matters. Every measure is set against every ranked wide receiver, so a strength here is a strength against the whole position, not just his own team. Ian Willis's strongest measure is target success rate at 45%, 317th of 485 (the average is 49%). His weakest is touchdowns per game at 0.0, 407th of 485 (the average is 0.3).
Season production
Why it matters. Volume is the first sign of how much a coaching staff trusts a player. His receiving yards per game, 12, ranks 478th among 485 ranked wide receivers.
Against every wide receiver
Why it matters. Volume, efficiency and impact plays can tell different stories: a player can be busy without being effective, or rarely used but dangerous every time. Among ranked wide receivers he sits, on average, in the 5th percentile for volume, 21st for efficiency and 4th for impact.
The season, game by game
Why it matters. Consistency matters to a team: one huge game and five quiet ones is a different season from six solid ones. Over 9 games, Ian Willis's best came in week 5 against South Dakota State and his quietest in week 7 at Southern Illinois.
When it matters
Why it matters. Third downs, the red zone and games against good teams are where drives and seasons are decided.
Where he does his damage
Why it matters. The shape of a player's production, not just its size, is what opponents scout.
National and conference
Why it matters. The Player Index puts every wide receiver on one scale, adjusted for the defenses or offenses he faced, so a rank here is comparable across conferences. Ian Willis is 449th of 503 FCS wide receivers and 33rd of 34 in the MVFC. Next up nationally is Legend Bernard of Georgetown, 0.00 ahead on the index.
Wide receivers like him
Why it matters. Players with similar profiles tend to be used the same way, which makes them a quick way to picture his game. His closest match this season is CJ Nelson of Ball State.
