2025 Football Roster
Jersey Number 45
Malachi Hood
- Position:
- LB
- Class:
- Junior
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 235
- Major:
- Strategic Leadership & Management
- Hometown:
- Plainfield, Ill.
- High School:
- Joliet Catholic
Pronunciation: ma-luh-kai
 University of Illinois Graduate |
2025 Junior
- Academic All-Big Ten
- 39 tackles (26 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, one pass breakup, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery
- Tied for fourth on the team with 26 solo stops during the regular season
- Career-high six tackles in wins vs. Western Michigan (9/13/25) and Northwestern (11/29/25)
- Five taclkes (three solo) vs. #1 Ohio State (10/11/25)
- Four tackles (one solo) with a forced fumble in win at Duke (9/6/25)
- Four total tackles (all solo), including one tackle for loss in win vs. Western Illinois (8/29/25)
- Attended the Black Student Athlete Summit in Chicago in May 2025
2024 Sophomore
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Played in 12 games
- 14 tackles (eight solo) with 2.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one pass breakup
- 2.0 sacks and two forced fumbles, first of career, against Northwestern (11/30/24)
- Recovered first-career fumble recovery against #24 Michigan (10/19/24)
2023 Redshirt Freshman
- Season-ending injury during training camp
2022 Redshirt
- Played in one game and redshirted the season
- Made his Illinois debut against Northwestern
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, On3, and Rivals
- Position ranks: #51 (On3), #75 (247), #96 (ESPN)
- State ranks: #14 (On3), #25 (ESPN), #26 (247)
- Played for head coach Jake Jaworski at Joliet Catholic
- Three-year letterwinner
- Led Joliet Catholic to the 2021 IHSA 4A state championship
Personal
- Born December 30, 2003
- Son of Josephine and Michael Hood
- One brother, Michael Jr., and one sister, Michala
- Cousin, Marcus Hood, played linebacker at Illinois from 1997-2000
- Chose Illinois because, “The ‘famILLy’ atmosphere felt like home to me. I have a long line of family legacy at this school as well.”
- Plans to start a clothing business in the future
- Graduated from the University of Illinois in August 2025 with a degree in political science
- Majoring in strategic leadership & management
Thursday, March 05
Thursday, February 12
Thursday, February 05
Wednesday, January 21
