Five Illini Named to 2026 Senior Bowl Top 300
August 20, 2026 | Football
NEWS
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini defensive back Matthew Bailey, wide receiver Hudson Clement, quarterback Katin Houser, offensive lineman Jake Renfro, and defensive back Xavier Scott have been named among the top players eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft as part of the Panini Senior Bowl Top 300 list released Thursday.
PANINI SENIOR BOWL
The Panini Senior Bowl is widely regarded as the preeminent college football all-star game and the first stage of the NFL Draft process. Each year, the Senior Bowl brings the nation's top prospects to Mobile, Alabama, providing NFL personnel from all 32 teams with an opportunity to evaluate players in a competitive environment. The 2027 Panini Senior Bowl is on Saturday, January 30, 2027, at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.
ILLINI AT THE SENIOR BOWL
Since its inception, 61 Fighting Illini have played in the Senior Bowl. Under head coach Bret Bielema's guidance, 10 former Illini have played in the annual showcase before going on to NFL careers.
| ILLINOIS' SENIOR BOWL PARTICIPANTS UNDER BRET BIELEMA (2022-PRESENT) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| NAME | POSITION | YEAR | NFL DRAFT SELECTION / FREE AGENT SIGNING |
| Kerby Joseph | DB | 2022 | Round 3, Pick 97 - Detroit Lions |
| Chase Brown | RB | 2023 | Round 5, Pick 163 - Cincinnati Bengals |
| Sydney Brown | DB | 2023 | Round 3, Pick 66 - Philadelphia Eagles |
| Jartavius Martin | DB | 2023 | Round 2, Pick 47 - Washington Commanders |
| Isaiah Adams | OL | 2024 | Round 3, Pick 71 - Arizona Cardinals |
| Keith Randolph Jr. | DL | 2024 | Free Agent - Chicago Bears |
| Pat Bryant | WR | 2025 | Round 3, Pick 74 - Denver Broncos |
| Luke Altmyer | QB | 2026 | Free Agent - Detroit Lions |
| J.C. Davis | OL | 2026 | Round 6, Pick 192 - New York Giants |
| Melvin Priestly | OL | 2026 | Free Agent - Detroit Lions |
In addition to the 10 participants since 2022, consensus All-Americans Devon Witherspoon (2023) and Jer'Zhan Newton (2024) earned invitations but did not participate before being selected in the first round (No. 5 overall) and second round (No. 36 overall) of their respective NFL drafts.
- 2026 Team Captain
- Two-Time All-Big Ten
- Three-Time Academic All-Big Ten
- 2026 Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten Third Team
- 2026 Phil Steele All-Big Ten Third Team
- 2026 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
- Led Illinois in total tackles each of the last two seasons with 76 in 2025 and 94 in 2024
- Single-season career high in solo tackles (59) and tackles for loss (4.0) in 2025
- 14th in the Big Ten in tackles per game (6.8) in 2024
- AP All-Bowl Team honoree after tying Illinois bowl record with 14 tackles in Citrus Bowl win over #14 South Carolina
- Receptions in 27 straight games entering 2026
- Transferred to Illinois prior ro 2025 season with two years of eligibility
- Played in all 13 games in debut season at Illinois in 2025, recording 36 catches fro 454 yards and three receiving touchdowns
- Team-high 48 receiving yards in Music City Bowl victory over #23 Tennessee
- Two touchdowns in home win vs. Maryland
- Season-high six receptions vs. #1 Ohio State
- Joined the Illini as the No. 2-graded transfer WR in the nation according to PFF
- 2026 Team Captain
- Joined the Fighting Illini in January as the No. 19 transfer QBs in the nation
- Played at Michigan State (2022-23) and East Carolina (2024-25)
- Enters 2026 with 26 career starts, tied for the 12th-most among active quarterbacks in FBS
- Threw for 6,438 yards and 43 touchdowns, plus 15 rushing touchdowns, during his first four seasons of college football
- Tallied 3,300 yards and 19 touchdowns, with just six interceptions, and a 65.9 completion percentage (269/408) in 2025 at ECU
- 2026 Team Captain
- Ranked as the #241 overall transfer and #13 transfer center by 247Sports.
- Played in 38 career games with 36 starts at Cincinnati (2020-22) and Wisconsin (2023-25).
- Named to 2025 Rimington Trophy Watch List before missing final eight games of the season due to injury.
- Started all 12 games at Wisconsin in 2024, allowing only one sack and 10 pressures across 375 pass rushing opportunities, according to PFF.
- Started 13 of Cincinnati's 14 games in 2021, earning All-AAC first team honors while leading the Bearcats to a College Football Playoff berth.
XAVIER SCOTT
- 2026 Team Captain
- 2026 Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten Third Team
- Missed final 10 games of 2025 season due to injury and announced return on Jan. 15, 2016
- 2024 Phil Steele All-America Honorable Mention
- 2024 All-Big Ten First Team (Media)
- 2024 All-Big Ten Second Team (Coaches)
- 2024 AP All-Big Ten First Team
- 2024 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist as one of the top 15 defensive backs in college football
- Started all 13 games at defensive back in 2024, recording 49 tackles (43 solo), 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one forced fumble, four interceptions, and six pass breakups
- Tied for second in the Big Ten and 15th in the nation in interceptions (4) during the 2024 regular season
- Led Big Ten cornerbacks in snaps played (792)
- No. 3-ranked cornerback in the Big Ten by PFF (82.3)
- No. 4-ranked tackling grade among cornerbacks in the Big Ten by PFF (85.1)
- First-career pick six, first-career two-interception game, and one forced fumble to lead Illinois to a win vs. #19 Kansas (9/7/24)
ILLINI ON WATCH LISTS (AS OF AUGUST 20)
- Matthew Bailey – Lott IMPACT Trophy, Panini Senior Bowl Top 300
- Bret Bielema – Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
- Hudson Clement – Panini Senior Bowl Top 300
- Brandon Henderson – Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, Allstate Wuerffel Trophy
- Katin Houser – Panini Senior Bowl Top 300
- Jayshon Platt - Jet Award, Biletnikoff Award
- Jake Renfro – Rimington Trophy, Panini Senior Bowl Top 300
- Xavier Scott – Panini Senior Bowl Top 300
- Ca'Lil Valentine – Doak Walker Award
