2025 Football Roster
Jersey Number 90
James Thompson Jr.
- Position:
- DL
- Class:
- Senior
- Height:
- 6-6
- Weight:
- 310
- Major:
- Recreation, Sport, & Tourism
- Hometown:
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- High School:
- Roger Bacon
- Prev School:
- Wisconsin
 2025 All-Big Ten |
 University of Illinois Graduate |
2025 Senior
- All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (coaches and media)
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Played and started in all 13 games
- 41 tackles (17 solo) with 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, two quarterback hurries and one pass breakup on the season
- Four. tackles (three solo), one sack and one QB hurry at Wisconsin (11/22/25)
- Career-high seven tackles (five solo) vs. #1 Ohio State (10/11/25)
- Three tackles (two solo) and a half sack in Illini win vs. #21 USC (9/27/25)
- Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten Fourth Team
- Transferred to Illinois with one year of eligibility remaining
2024 Senior (Wisconsin)
- Played in one game and redshirted the season
- Missed the first 10 games with an injury
2023 Junior (Wisconsin)
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Played in all 13 games with 11 starts on the defensive line
- 29 tackles, 3.0 sacks, and 5.5 tackles for loss on the season
- Led all Wisconsin defensive linemen with 29 tackles
- Career-high 1.5 sacks at Washington State (9/9/23)
- Career-high six tackles at Purdue (9/22/23)
2022 Sophomore (Wisconsin)
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Played in all 13 games with seven starts on the defensive line
- 22 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, and one fumble recovery on the season
- Four tackles and 1.0 tackle for loss against Illinois (10/1/22)
- Two tackles and recovered a fumble at Northwestern (10/8/22)
- First career sack vs. Minnesota (11/26/22)
- 1.0 sack in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against Oklahoma State (12/27/22)
2021 Redshirt Freshman (Wisconsin)
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Played in all 13 games at defensive end
- Seven tackles on the season
- First career tackle in win over Eastern Michigan (9/11/21)
2020 Freshman (Wisconsin)
- Played in one game during the COVID season
- Made his collegiate debut against Michigan (11/14/20)
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247 Sports, ESPN and Rivals
- 2019 All-Ohio Third Team
Personal
- Majoring in recreation, sport, & tourism (Master's)
- Graduated from the University of Wisconsin in December 2024 with a degree in community & organizational development
Thursday, March 05
Thursday, February 12
Thursday, February 05
Wednesday, January 21
