Illini in the NFL | Illini Draft History
A pair of former Illinois football players will have a shot to make their NFL dreams a reality in 2018. Two former Fighting Illini signed undrafted free agent (UDFA) contracts following the completion of the 2018 NFL Draft on Saturday – DE/OLB James Crawford (Baltimore Ravens) and OL Christian DiLauro (Cleveland Browns). Rookie mini-camps begin early May.
Crawford and DiLauro will look to join a long list of former Fighting Illini in the NFL. In 2017, a total of 21 former Illini were on NFL rosters, including six rookies – DT Chunky Clements (Texans), CB Justin Hardee (Saints), LB Hardy Nickerson (Bengals), DE Carroll Phillips (Jaguars), OLB Gimel President (Texans), and DE Dawuane Smoot (Jaguars). Five of the six Illini rookies in 2017 were undrafted, all except Smoot (3rd round, pick 68).
Illinois has a habit of producing undrafted NFL contributors, like recent NFL veterans Steve Weatherford (NFL 10 seasons) and Pierre Thomas (9 seasons), and current NFL Players Jeff Cumberland (8 seasons, currently with the Chargers), Matt LaCosse (3 seasons, currently with the Broncos), Geronimo Allison (2 seasons, currently with the Packers), and Josh Ferguson (2 season, currently with the Colts), plus the five 2017 undrafted rookies.
» Deerfield, Florida // St. Thomas Aquinas
» All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2017
» 2017 team captain
» Voted team's Butkus Outstanding Defensive Player in 2017
» Played and started in nine games in 2017
» Had 26 tackles, team-high 5.5 TFLs, team-high 4.0 sacks, 4 PBUs, 4 QB hurries, 3 forced fumbles & 2 fumble recoveries in 2017
» 36 games played and 19 starts in Illini career
» 80 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 4.0 sacks, 6 PBUs, 5 hurries, 4 forced fumbles & 3 fumble recoveries in UI career
» Started UI career as safety, then spent time at linebacker before move to edge rusher late in 2016 season
» Bachelor's degree in communication
» Pursuing second bachelor's degree in agricultural leadership education
» Uniontown, Ohio // Green High School
» Played in all 12 games with seven starts in 2017, playing both tackle and guard, while also getting some snaps as a blocking tight end
» 48 games played and a team-high 38 starts during UI career
» Made 31 consecutive starts at one point, spanning the 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons
» Academic All-Big Ten honoree
» Bachelor's degree in agricultural and consumer economics
» Pursuing second bachelor's degree in agricultural leadership education
