Pronunciation: ee-ZEE-kee-uhl

University of Illinois Graduate

2024 Senior

• Played in all 12 regular-season games
• Forced first-career fumble in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against South Carolina (12/31/24)
• Registered first-career sack against Minnesota (11/2/24)
• Recorded first-career FG block and pass breakup against #24 Michigan (10/19/24)
• Seventh season with the Illinois program

2023 Junior

• Played in eight games
• Nine tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss on the season
• Tackles for loss against Wisconsin (10/21/2023) and at Maryland (11/04/2023)
• Two tackles (one solo) in return vs. Penn State (9/16/23) more than a year after season-ending injury in 2022

2022 Junior

• Played in the first three games of the season, with one start at outside linebacker, before a season-ending injury
• Medical redshirt
• Three tackles on the season

2021 Sophomore

• Played in all 12 games
• Five tackles and 1.0 TFL on the season
• Recorded 1.0 TFL and three tackles against Virginia 9/11/21

2020 Sophomore

• Played in four games on the defensive line

2019 Redshirt Freshman

• Played in one game
• Made Illinois debut in the season opener against Akron 

2018 Freshman

• Redshirted 2018 season 

High School

• Three-star recruit by 247Sports
• Ranked No. 60 weakside defensive end in the nation by 247Sports
• Played for head coach Danny Youngs at Hirschi
• Three-time all-district
• 2017 all-state second team
• 96 tackles, 38.0 TFLs, 6.0 sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two touchdowns as senior
• 39 tackles, 1.0 sack, one interceptions and two fumble recoveries as a junior
• Also played basketball and threw shot put in high school
• Verbally committed to Illinois in February 2018
• Offers included Air Force and Washington State

Personal

• Born July 7, 2000
• Son of Enez and Ronnie Holmes
• One older brother, Ronnie A. Holmes, one older sister, Alexis Brown, and one younger sister, Miracle Holmes
• Plans to be an accountant or work with kids following his playing career
• Picked Illinois because, “Illinois was the best option for me to develop into a good young man.”
• Plays the piano and drums
• Majoring in diversity and equity in education
• Graduated from the University of Illinois with degrees in sociology (August 2022) and communication (December 2023)