2018 Football Roster
Jersey Number 3
Del'Shawn Phillips
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-2 / 230
- Position:
- LB
- Hometown:
- Highland Park, Mich.
- High School:
- Cass Tech
Career Highs
Tackles: 16 vs. Ball State, 9/2/17
Solos: 7 vs. Ball State, 9/2/17
TFLs: 2.0, twice (last vs. Western Illinois, 9/8/18)
Sacks: 2.0 vs. Wisconsin, 10/28/17
QB Hurries: 1 vs. Western Kentucky, 9/9/17
Fumbles Forced: 1 vs. Minnesota, 11/3/18
Fumbles Recovered: 1 vs. Western Illinois, 9/8/18
Interception: 1, three times (last at Rutgers, 10/6/18)
PBUs: 1, four times (last vs. Minnesota, 11/3/18)
2018 Senior
- Played 12 games with 11 starts at linebacker
- All-Big Ten honorable mention (media)
- Voted team's defensive captain for the season
- Only senior on defense
- Led the team in interceptions (4) an tied for the lead in tackles (95)
- Third on the team in TFLs (6.5)
- Interceptions against Kent State, South Florida, Penn State, and Iowa
- First career forced fumble against Minnesota 11/3/18
- First career interception in the season opener against Kent State
- Academic All-Big Ten
2017 Junior
- Played in 11 games with 10 starts at linebacker
- Missed the Minnesota game with an injury
- 85 tackles (46 solo), 4.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack, two pass breakups, one quarterback hurry
- Led Illinois in tackles (85) and solo tackles (46)
- Ranked eighth in the Big Ten in tackles per game (7.7)
- Led Illinois with 64 tackles on rushing plays
- Second on the team in tackles during Big Ten games (53)
- Tied for third on the team in TFLs during Big Ten games (3.5)
- Team-high 16 tackles vs. Ball State
- Made his Illinois debut in the opener against Ball State
- Enrolled for spring semester and participated in 2017 spring practices
Junior College
- Four-star recruit by Scout
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN
- Ranked No. 14 junior college recruit in the nation by Scout, No. 19 by 247Sports and No. 44 by Rivals
- Ranked No. 2 junior college linebacker in the nation by 247Sports and No. 3 by ESPN
- Led Garden City to a junior college national title in 2016
- Garden City team leader with 95 tackles (52 solo), 12.5 TFLs and two forced fumbles in 2016
- Also had 2.0 sacks, three interceptions, four pass breakups and one forced fumble in 2016
- Third on Garden City’s team with 72 tackles (45 solo) in 2015
- Also had 12.5 TFLs, 7.0 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 2015
High School
- Played high school football at Detroit Cass Tech for head coach Thomas Wilcher
- Led Cass Tech to 2014 city championship
- 2014 all-city selection
- Signed with Western Michigan out of high school
Personal
- Born Oct. 9, 1996
- Son of Latashia Phillips and Shawn Gaines
- Picked Illinois because he, “felt like it was the best place to develop as a student-athlete.”
- Plans to major in sports management
- Listed Floyd Mayweather as his favorite athlete because he, “always finds a way to win.”
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 3/5/26
Thursday, March 05
Illinois Football | Bobby Hauck Introductory Press Conference 2/12/26
Thursday, February 12
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 2/4/26
Thursday, February 05
Illinois Football | Xavier Scott Return Announcement Press Conference Press Conference 1/21/26
Wednesday, January 21
