—Photo by Angela Hewitt Northern Iowa’s Carter Hewitt (94) looks to get past a Nebraska offenive lineman this past season. After four seasons as a Panther, Hewitt will transfer to Illinois.

JEWELL — So many athletes are using the transfer portal for all the wrong reasons these days.

Carter Hewitt’s story is one that makes it right.

Hewitt, a former South Hamilton standout, committed to the University of Illinois over the weekend. The 6-foot-6, 260-pounder spent the previous four seasons at the University of Northern Iowa.

The decision for Hewitt to leave the Panthers and place his name among thousands of other student athletes in the portal was a difficult one.

“Leaving UNI was the hardest decision I’ve made in a long time,” Hewitt said. “My heart will always be in Cedar Falls and it will always be home. I met lifelong friends there and I’ll always be a Panther.

“But while it was extremely hard to make the decision to leave, I feel as if this gives me the best chance to keep playing football after college.”

Hewitt, a multi-sport standout for the Hawks, was an all-conference football, basketball and baseball selection. He earned third team all-state honors in football in his lone season as a prep.

This past fall for Northern Iowa, Hewitt had his best year yet, recording 53 tackles with 1.5 sacks. He finished his three-year stint with 66 tackles including 18 solo stops.

When he made the move to the transfer portal, Hewitt admits he was shocked by the number of schools that showed interest him in.

“It was pretty crazy, especially because of starting late in the sport,” he said. “If you told high school senior Carter Hewitt that this is where football would take him, I wouldn’t believe you for a second.

“Football has given back to me beyond my wildest imagination.”

Along with taking an official visit to Illinois, Hewitt also made stops at Virginia Tech and UCF. Coming out of South Hamilton, he was recruited by Iowa, North Dakota State, Central Michigan and South Dakota.

Illinois went 10-3 last season and finished fifth in the Big Ten Conference, picking up a 21-17 victory over South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl. Head coach Bret Bielema is now in his fifth season with the program, going 28-22 overall.

“Illinois’ family atmosphere and the similarities to UNI is what ended up making me commit,” Hewitt said. “Coach B is a great coach and even better person who will help me be the best player I can be.”

Hewitt joins a roster that has added fellow defensive line transfers James Thompson Jr. and Curt Neal from Wisconsin, along with Tomiwa Durojaiye from Florida State for coach Terrance Jamison.

The Fighting Illini open the 2025 season Saturday, Aug. 30 vs. Western Illinois.