2026 Football Roster
Jersey Number 38
Jack Paris
- Position:
- LB
- Class:
- Redshirt Freshman
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 225
- Major:
- Business Undeclared
- Hometown:
- River Forest, Ill.
- High School:
- Fenwick
2025 Redshirt
- Did not play in a game and redshirted
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports
- No. 8 linebacker in Illinois and No. 170 in the nation by 247Sports
- Played for head coach Matthew Battaglia at Fenwick
- 2024 Chicago Catholic League White Defensive Player of the Year
- Two-time All-Chicago Catholic League
- 2024 Shaw Suburban All-Area
- 2024 Fenwick team captain
- 2023 Chicago Catholic League Orange All-Conference
- Two-time All-State Academic Team
- Two-time Fenwick team captain
- 2024 Fenwick Team MVP
- 2023 Fenwick Defensive MVP
- Led Fenwick to the second round of the 2024 IHSA 7A State Playoffs
- 107 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, and14 quarterback hurries as a senior
- 83 tackles, 35.0 tackles for loss, 19 pass breakups, 19 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery as a junior
- Also wrestled and played baseball in high school
- State qualifier in wrestling
- Offers included Akron, Army, Ball State, Central Michigan, Cornell, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Navy, Northern Illinois, Penn, Princeton, Toledo, Vanderbilt, and Wyoming
Personal
- Born October 4, 2006
- Son of Marty and Kerry Paris
- Middle child in a family with six siblings: four brothers and two sisters
- Father, Marty, wrestled at Drake
- Mother, Kerry, played volleyball at St. Norbert
- Brother, Conor, plays football at Toledo
- Grandfather, Frank, played football and wrestled at Northwestern
- Grandmother, Gail, attended the University of Illinois
- Chose Illinois because, "It is a top quality academic university in my home state with the best up-and-coming football team in the country. Also, I love the culture that Coach Bielema has brought to the Illinois football program. The energy that the entire coaching staff brings is awesome to be around and I’m excited for the opportunity to compete for a national championship."
- Majoring in business undeclared
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
