2026 Football Roster
Jersey Number 10
James Kreutz
- Position:
- LB
- Class:
- Senior
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 235
- Major:
- Recreation, Sport, & Tourism
- Hometown:
- Bannockburn, Ill.
- High School:
- Loyola Academy
Pronunciation: krew-tz
2025 Junior
- Played in all 12 games with one start
- 29 total tackles (15 solo) with 3.5 tackles for loss and three pass breaksups on the season
- Tied for fifth on the team with 3.5 tackles for loss
- Three tackles (one solo) with a tackle for loss in Music City Bowl victory vs. #23 Tennessee (12/30/25)
- Three tackles and a PBU in rivalry win vs. Northwestern (11/29/25)
- Tied season high with five tackles (four solo) and added a pass breakup in win vs. Rutgers (11/1/25)
- Season-high five tackles (two solo) at #19 Indiana (9/20/25)
2024 Sophomore
- Played in all 13 games with four starts
- Fourth on the team with 55 tackles (26 solo), 0.5 tackles for loss, two QB hurries and one pass breakup
- Career-high 12 tackles (two solo) and 0.5 tackles for loss at Rutgers (11/23/24)
- Nine tackles (five solo) against Minnesota (11/2/24)
2023 Redshirt Freshman
- Played in all 12 games with one start at linebacker
- First career start against Nebraska (10/6/23)
- Recorded first mult-tackle game with two special teams stops vs. Toledo (9/2/23)
2022 Freshman
- Played in three games and redshirted the season
- Illinois’ Defensive Look Team Player of the Year
- One tackle on the season
- First career tackle at Indiana (9/22/22)
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports
- Two-star recruit by Rivals
- Position ranks: #183 (247)
- State ranks: #35 (247)
- Played for head coach John Holecek at Loyola Academy
- 2021 Illinois High School Football Coaches Association 8A All-State first team
- 2021 Chicago Catholic League Blue Defensive Player of the Year
- 2021 Chicago Sun-Times All-Area
- 2022 Polynesian Bowl invite
- 137 tackles (69 solo), 19.0 TFLs, and 6.0 sacks as a senior
- Played running back and linebacker in high school
Personal
- Born August 10, 2004
- Son of Olin and Wendi Kreutz
- Brother, Josh Kreutz, is a center for the Illinois football team
- Father, Olin Kreutz, was a six-time Pro Bowler with the Chicago Bears
- Majoring in recreation, sport, and tourism
Thursday, March 05
Thursday, February 12
Thursday, February 05
Wednesday, January 21
