2026 Football Roster
Jersey Number 21
Aidan Laughery
- Position:
- RB
- Class:
- Fifth Year
- Height:
- 5-11
- Weight:
- 200
- Major:
- Management
- Hometown:
- Gibson City, Ill.
- High School:
- GCMS
Pronunciation: LAW-fer-ree
 University of Illinois Graduate |
2026 - Illinois
- Team Captain
- Fighting Illini's active leader in the running backs room with 236 carries for 1,382 yards (5.9 avg.)
- Nine-career rushing TDs also rank first among the Illini's current stable of rushers
- 113 yards rushing on 11 carries at #7 Ohio State (9/26/26), the first player to rush for 100+ at OSU since Kalel Mullings of Michigan (116 yards on 11/30/24); Eighth Illini rusher since 1945 and first since 2007 (Daniel Dufresne) to top the century mark at Ohio Stadium
- Career-long 77-yard TD, 20th-longest rush in team history, in victory over Southern Illinois (9/19/26)
2025 - Illinois
- Played in nine games with three starts at running back
- 75 carries for 382 yards and three touchdowns on the season
- Nine receptions for 54 yards on the season
- Team-high 77 rushing yards in the Music City Bowl victory over #23 Tennessee (12/30/25)
- Nine carries for 101 yards and two rushing touchdowns in Illinois Week 1 victory over Western Illinois (8/29/25)
2024 - Illinois
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Played in all 13 games on the season
- Rushed 16 times for 67 yards in Cheez-It Citrus Bowl win over No. 14 South Carolina (12/31/24)
- Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week after rushing 12 times for a career-best 172 yards and career-high three touchdowns in win at Wrigley Field against Northwestern (11/30/24)
- 172-yard game at Wrigley Field was his first career 100-yard game
- Wrigley Field game was the first multi-score game of his career, as all three touchdowns were over 30 yards, including a career-long 64-yarder in the third quarter
- No. 1-graded running back according to PFF (94.8 OFF, 91.9 RUN) in win at Northwestern (11/30/24), which tied for second-highest offense grade and eighth-highest rushing grade for a running back in a game this season
- Rushed six times for 26 yards and his first touchdown of the season, and caught one pass for five yards in win at Rutgers (11/23/24)
- Started first game of his career in season-opener vs. Eastern Illinois (8/29/24)
2023 - Illinois
- Played in nine games
- Missed three games with an injury
- Tallied first rushing TD of his career to go along with 23 yards on three carries vs. FAU (9/23/23)
- Returned first kickoff of his career (17 yards) vs. Toledo (9/2/23)
2022 - Illinois
- Played in one game
- Made his Illinois debut against Chattanooga 9/22/22
- Three carries for nine yards on the season
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN, On3, and Rivals
- Position ranks: #37 (On3), #42 (247), #51 (Rivals), #73 (ESPN)
- State ranks: #11 (247), #12 (ESPN), #14 (Rivals), #17 (On3)
- Played for head coach Mike Allen at GCMS
- Played with fellow Illini Bryce Barnes in high school, leading GCMS to the IHSA 2A state title
- Four-year letterwinner
- Two-time all-conference
- Also ran track in high school
- Offers included Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota, Rutgers, and Washington State
Personal
- Born October 1, 2003
- Son of Mary and Greg Laughery
- One brother, Andrew
- Chose Illinois because, “The family culture and energy. When you know everybody is working at a collective goal for the same purpose and with the same drive you are, you are bound for success. It was an easy choice for me with how awesome the staff is.”
- Graduated from the University of Illinois in August 2025 with a degree in recreation, sport, & tourism
- Majoring in management (Master's)
Sunday, October 11
Sunday, October 11
Monday, October 05
Monday, October 05
