Bennett Williams

Ht./Wt.:
6-0 / 200
Position:
DB
Hometown:
Campbell, Calif.
High School:
St. Francis

Career Highs

Tackles: 14 at Minnesota, 10/21/17
Solos: 8 at Minnesota, 10/21/17
TFLs: 0.5, three times (last vs. Wisconsin, 10/28/17)
QB Hurries: 1 vs. Ball State, 9/2/17
Fumbles Forced: 1 at Minnesota, 10/21/17
PBUs: 1, twice (last at Minnesota, 10/21/17)
Interception: 1, three times (last vs. Northwestern, 11/25/17)
Interception Return Yards: 20, twice (last vs. Wisconsin, 10/28/17)

2018 Sophomore

Rotates in at safety

2017 Freshman

ESPN.com Freshman All-American
BTN.com All-Freshman Team
Played in 11 games with seven starts at safety
64 tackles (34 solo), 1.5 TFLs, three interceptions, two pass breakups, one quarterback hurry, one forced fumble
Led Illinois with three interceptions
All three interceptions came during Big Ten games
Fifth on the team in tackles (64)
Ranked second in the Big Ten in tackles among freshmen (64)
First Illini true freshman safety to start the season opener since at least 1980
First career interception at Iowa
Ejected in the first quarter against Nebraska for targeting

High School

Three-star recruit by Scout
Ranked No. 116 cornerback in the nation by Scout
Played at St. Francis for head coach Greg Calcagno
49 tackles, six interceptions and one blocked punt as a senior
87 tackles and nine interceptions as a junior

Personal

Son of Garey Williams and Dani Slavin
Father, Garey Williams, played football at California with Illinois defensive coordinator Hardy Nickerson
Nickerson recruited Bennett Williams after watching highlight videos Garey Williams posted to Facebook
Wears No. 4 because he grew up at Cal fan and liked Jahvid Best