2025 Football Roster
Jersey Number 99
Curt Neal
- Position:
- DL
- Class:
- Junior
- Height:
- 6-0
- Weight:
- 310
- Major:
- Social Work
- Hometown:
- Cornelius, N.C.
- High School:
- Hough
- Prev School:
- Wisconsin
2025 Junior
- 12 games played with eight starts
- 15 total tackles (10 solo) with 0.5 tackles for loss, one quarterback hurry, and two pass breaksups on the season
- Tied season high with three tackles (two solo) in rivalry win vs. Northwestern (11/29/25)
- Season-high three tackles (one solo) in win vs. #21 USC (9/27/25)
- Two tackles, inclluding a half tackle for loss, in win vs. Western Michigan (9/13/25)
- Made Illinois debut with one solo stop vs. Western Illinois (8/29/25)
- Transferred to Illinois with two seasons of eligibility
- Signed with Illinois on Dec. 23, 2024
2024 Sophomore (Wisconsin)
- Started all 12 games at defensive tackle
- 29 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, and 0.5 sack on the season
- Led all Wisconsin defensive linemen with 29 tackles
- Career-high four tackles against #1 Oregon (11/16/24), at Iowa (11/2/24), against South Dakota (9/7/24), and against Western Michigan (8/30/24)
- Solo tackles for loss against #1 Oregon (11/16/24) and Minnesota (11/29/24)
- First career assisted sack at Northwestern (10/19/24)
2023 Redshirt Freshman (Wisconsin)
- Played in all 13 games with one start at defensive tackle
- 13 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss on the season
- Season-high three tackles against Iowa (10/14/23)
2022 Freshman (Wisconsin)
- Played in four games and redshirted the season
- Three tackles on the season
- Season-high two tackles against Maryland (11/5/22)
High School
- Four-star recruit by ESPN
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals
- Missed his senior season due to an injury
- Earned first-team all-state honors as a junior
- As a junior, totaled 32 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, and 3.0 sacks
- Earned all-state mention as a sophomore with 52 tackles and 5.0 sacks
- Majoring in social work
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
