Illini in the NFL | Regular Season In Review
January 1, 2020 | Football
See how former Fighting Illini performed during the 2019 regular season
See how 19 former Illini performed in the 2019 NFL regular season. Nine Illini are headed to the playoffs, which begin this Saturday. Two more were on practice squads.
» Nick Allegretti, OL, Kansas City Chiefs – Rookie played in seven games for the Chiefs as a reserve offensive lineman, helping Kansas City to a 12-4 record, an AFC West title and a first-round playoff bye.
» Jeff Allen, OL, Kansas City Chiefs – Played in four games for the Chiefs before being released on Oct. 3.
» Geronimo Allison, WR, Green Bay Packers – Played in all 16 games and made six starts, hauling in 34 catches for 287 yards and two touchdowns for the Packers, who finished with a 13-3 record, an NFC North title and a first-round playoff bye.
» James Crawford, LB, Miami Dolphins – Crawford played in three games, mostly on special teams, and made one tackle in 2019. He was placed on Injured Reserve by the Dolphins on Sept. 26 after suffering a season-ending knee injury.
» Clayton Fejedelem, FS, Cincinnati Bengals – In his fourth-season in the league, Fejedelem served as a special teams captain for the Bengals. He played in all 16 games, making 15 tackles on the season.
» Josh Ferguson, RB, Washington Redskins – Played in two of the last three games after being promoted from Washington's practice squad. He had three carries for nine yards on the season.
» Justin Hardee, CB, New Orleans Saints – Third-year pro and special teams coverage guru played in all 16 games, making 11 tackles on the season. Hardee helped the Saints to a 13-3 record and an NFC South title.
» Ted Karras, C, New England Patriots – Third-year pro and two-time Super Bowl Champion Ted Karras moved to center this season and assumed the starting role snapping to Tom Brady. Karras played and started in 15 games, missing one game due to injury, helping the Patriots to a 12-4 record and an AFC East title.
» Matt LaCosse, TE, New England Patriots – Fifth-year pro played in 11 games and made 8 starts for the AFC East Champion Patriots. LaCosse hauled in 13 catches for 131 yards and one touchdown on the season.
» Corey Liuget, DL, Oakland Raiders/Buffalo Bills – Played in 10 games on the season with the Raiders (3 games) and Bills (7 games). Totaled 13 tackles and one sack on the season, helping the playoff-bound Bills down the stretch.
9 seasons, 3 playoff berths, 3 teams & 6 surgeries later... I want to give glory to God for allowing me to make it this far! I am so thankful for the support of my teammates, coaches, #BillsMafia, family & wife @FavenLiuget. ???? pic.twitter.com/kDIKDDci5d
— Corey Liuget (@CoreyLiuget) December 31, 2019
» Chase McLaughlin, K, Los Angeles Chargers/San Francisco 49ers/Indianapolis Colts – Rookie played in 11 games with three different teams in 2019, four with the Chargers, three with the 49ers and four with the Colts. For the season he hit 18-of-23 field goals, including 3-of-3 from over 50 yards, and 26-of-26 PATs. He finished the season with the Colts, hitting 5-of-6 field goals and 11-of-11 extra points.
» Whitney Mercilus, LB, Houston Texans – In his eighth season with the Texans, Mercilus started all 16 games, making 48 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 9 additional TFLs, 15 QB hits, 4 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, 2 passes defended and 1 fumble recovered for the AFC South champion Texans. The former first-round pick in 2012 signed a 4-year contract extension with the Texans prior to the final regular seasong game.
Texans sign OLB Whitney Mercilus to contract extension. pic.twitter.com/wjPUB8ViTH
— NFL (@NFL) December 28, 2019
» Hardy Nickerson, LB, Cincinnati Bengals – Third-year pro played in seven games on the season, making six tackles.
» Carroll Phillips, DE, Washington Redskins – Phillips appeared in one game for the Redskins in Week 12, recording no statistics. He finished the season on the Falcons' practice squad.
» Dawuane Smoot, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars – Third-year pro played in all 16 games for the Jaguars, making 17 tackles, including 6 sacks and an additional 6 TFLs. He also added 7 QB hits and one fumble recovery.
» Akeem Spence, DT, Philadelphia Eagles/Jacksonville Jaguars – Played in 15 games this season, splitting time with the Eagles (6 games) and Jaguars (9 games, finished season with JAX). Combined, he had 18 tackles on the season.
» Malik Turner, WR, Seattle Seahawks – Second-year NFL vet played in 15 games with three starts, making 15 catches for 245 yards and one touchdown for the playoff-bound Seahawks.
» Jihad Ward, DT, Indianapolis Colts/Baltimore Ravens – Played in 14 games on the season with the Colts (3 games) and Ravens (11 games). Made 7 tackles on the season, including one sack and one pass defense. A mid-season pickup for the Ravens, Ward helped Baltimore to a 14-2 record and the top overall seed in the playoffs.
» Tavon Wilson, SS, Detroit Lions – Eighth-year pro played in all 16 games and made 13 starts at safety for the Lions. Wilson finished second on the Lions with 98 tackles, with one sack, three additional TFLs, and five passes defended on the season.
Illini on Practice Squads
» Christian DiLauro, T, Pittsburgh Steelers – DiLauro was signed to the Steelers' practice squad on Oct. 15 and finished the season in Pittsburgh after spending time with the 49ers and the Texans practice squads earlier in the season.
» Del'Shawn Phillips, LB, Buffalo Bills – Signed to the Bills practice squad on Oct. 29 and finished the season there.
