2022 Football Roster
Jersey Number 31
Devon Witherspoon
- Position:
- DB
- Class:
- Junior
- Height:
- 6-0
- Weight:
- 180
- Hometown:
- Pensacola, Fla.
- High School:
- Pine Forest
 2022 Thorpe Award Finalist |
 2022 Consensus All-American |
 Two-Time All-Big Ten |
 2023 NFL Draft - No. 5 Overall (Seattle) |
2022 Junior
- One of three finalists for the Thorpe Award
- First Thorpe Award finalist in Illinois history
- One of 20 semifinalists for the Bednarik Award
- Consensus All-American, the 21st in Illinois history
- First ever defensive back to be named a Consensus All-American in Illinois history
- Big Ten's Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year
- No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Seattle Seahawks
- Highest drafted defensive back in Illinois history
- Walter Camp All-American first team
- AFCA All-American first team
- FWAA All-American first team
- AP All-American first team
- Phil Steele All-American first team
- CBS All-American first team
- PFF All-American first team
- USA Today All-American second team
- Senior Bowl All-American
- All-Big Ten first team (coaches and media)
- No. 26 player in the nation in 2022 according to PFF's College 101
- Senior Bowl invite
- Illinois’ Dick Butkus Defensive MVP
- Started all 12 regular season games at cornerback
- Sat out the ReliaQuest Bowl to prepare for the NFL Draft
- 40 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, three interceptions, and 14 pass breakups on the season
- Did not allow a touchdown all season
- No. 1 coverage grade in the nation (92.5), according to PFF
- No. 2 graded cornerback in the nation and No. 1 in Power-5 (92.0), according to PFF
- No. 2 NFL passer rating against in the nation and No. 1 in Power-5 (25.0), according to PFF
- No. 6 graded defender in the nation and No. 2 in Power-5 (92.5), according to PFF
- Second in the nation in forced incompletions (18) and fourth in the nation in forced incompletion percentage (28.6), according to PFF
- Third-lowest reception percentage in the nation (34.9), according to PFF
- Allowed only 16 receptions on 54 targets as the primary defender on the season, according to ESPN
- Allowed just 3.3 yards against per attempt, according to ESPN
- Eighth in the nation and second in the Big Ten in passes defended (17)
- Eighth in the Big Ten in interceptions (3)
- Allowed fewer than 35 receiving yards in 11 of 12 games this season while matching up with opponent's No. 1 receivers
- Played the second-most man coverage snaps in the nation (560), according to PFF
- First career two-interception game at Northwestern 11/26/22
- Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week following seven tackles, three pass breakups and only 11 passing yards against on 11 targets against Virginia 9/10/22
2021 Sophomore
- All-Big Ten honorable mention (media)
- Played and started 10 games
- 52 tackles, 8.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack, and nine pass breakups on the season
- Led Illinois with nine pass breakups
- Tied for second on the team with 8.0 TFLs
- Fourth on the team with 42 solo tackles
- Sixth on the team with 52 tackles
- Ninth in the Big Ten in pass breakups (9) and fourth in the Big Ten West
- Tied for fifth among Big Ten cornerbacks in defensive stops in 2021, according to PFF (19)
- Six tackles, 2.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack and one quarterback hurry in the Illini's 9OT upset win over #7 Penn State 10/23/21 in the longest game in college football history
- Seven tackles including 1.0 TFLs against Maryland 9/17/21
- Seven tackles, 1.0 TFL and one PBU against Virginia 9/11/21
- Nine tackles, 2.0 TFLs and two PBUs against UTSA 9/4/21
- Career-high four PBUs against Nebraska 8/28/21
2020 Sophomore
- Played in and started seven games at cornerback
- Missed the season opener at Wisconsin with an injury
- 33 tackles, 1.0 TFL, two interception, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries on the season
- First career interception against Minnesota 11/7/20
2019 Freshman
- Played in all 13 games and started three at cornerback
- 33 tackles, two PBUs on the season
- Led the team in special teams tackles (13)
- Led the team in kickoff tackles (11)
- Only true freshman defender to start a game for Illinois in 2019
- Chase-down tackle at the goal line in the fourth quarter vs. No. 6 Wisconsin 10/19/19 led to goal-line stop to help Illinois win 24-23 and complete one of the biggest upsets in Big Ten history
- Only true freshman to start a game for Illinois in 2019
- Joined the Illini during training camp after initially planning to attend Hutchinson Community College (Kan.)
High School
- Two-year letterwinner in football
- Played for head coach Jason McDonald at Pine Forest
- Help Pine Forest to the 2018 District 1-6A championship and advance to the second round of the state playoffs
- 2018 Pensacola News Journal Defensive Player of the Year
- 2018 Pensacola News Journal All-Area first team
- 74 tackles, nine PBUs, 2.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack, and an area-high seven interceptions as a senior
- Scored two touchdowns as a senior, one on a fumble return and one on an interception return
- 65 tackles, nine PBUs, 2.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack, and four interceptions as a junior, his first year playing football
- Also played basketball and ran track in high school, helping three Pine Forest teams to district titles as a senior
- Standout high jumper and part of multiple championship relay teams, including a Florida Class 3A state runner-up finish in the 4x100-meter relay
- 2018 Pensacola News Journal Male Athlete of the Year for overall production in all three sports
- Verbally committed to Illinois in July 2019, four days before training camp
- Offers included Appalachian State, Georgia State, Massachusetts, Middle Tennessee, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Troy, Temple, and UAB
- Originally committed to Hutchinson Community College (Kan.)
Personal
- Born Dec. 11, 2000
- Did not play football until his junior year of high school
- Majoring in communication
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
