2023 Football Roster
Jersey Number 88
Keith Randolph Jr.
- Position:
- DT
- Class:
- Junior
- Height:
- 6-5
- Weight:
- 300
- Hometown:
- Belleville, Ill.
- High School:
- Belleville West
 Three-Time All-Big Ten |
2023 Junior
- Team captain
- All-Big Ten Third Team (media)
- All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (coaches)
- Played and started 10 games at defensive tackle
- Top five in the nation in tackles per game among defensive tackles (4.9)
- East-West Shrine Bowl Breakout Defensive Player of the Week after seven tackles, 2.5 TFLs, and 1.0 sack against Florida Atlantic
- Athlon Preseason All-America third team
- Phil Steele Preseason All-America fourth team
- Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten first team
- Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten first team
- PFF Preseason All-Big Ten third team
- No. 10 defensive tackle in the nation, according to The Athletic's preseason draft rankings
- No. 24 ranked player in the Big Ten in 247's preseason player rankings
- No. 77 ranked player in the nation in 247's preseason player rankings
- Bednarik Award watch list
- Lombardi Award watch list
- Outland Trophy watch list
- Nagurski Trophy watch list
2022 Sophomore
- All-Big Ten third team (coaches and media)
- PFF All-Big Ten first team
- Illinois’ Howard Griffith Impact Player Award winner
- Played in all 13 games with 12 starts at defensive tackle
- 53 tackles, 13.0 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, one interception, one pass breakup, five quarterback hurries, and one blocked kick on the season
- No. 8 tackling grade in the nation among interior defensive linemen (76.7), according to PFF
- Second on the team in TFLs (13.0) and sacks (4.5)
- Third on the team in quarterback hurries (5)
- Fifth on the team in tackles (53)
- At least 0.5 TFL in 11 of 13 games
- Second career interception against Chattanooga 9/22/22
- Career-high 2.5 TFLs against Virginia 9/10/22
- 1.0+ sacks in four straight games - vs. Virginia 9/10/22, vs. Chattanooga 9/22/22, at Wisconsin 10/1/22, and vs. Iowa 10/8/22
- Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten third team
2021 Redshirt Freshman
- All-Big Ten honorable mention (media)
- Played in 10 games with seven starts
- 42 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 4.0 sacks, one interception, one pass breakup, and one forced fumble on the season
- Only DT in the Big Ten with an interception in 2021
- Second on the team with 4.0 sacks
- Fifth on the team and first among defensive linemen with 5.5 TFLs
- Second on the team in sacks (4.0)
- Four tackles and 1.0 sack in Illinois' road win over No. 20 Minnesota
- First career interception vs. Charlotte 10/2/21
- Recorded 1.0 sack vs. UTSA 9/4/21
- First career sack, first career forced fumble, and 1.5 TFLs against Nebraska 8/28/21
2020 Redshirt Freshman
- Played in five games
- Eight tackles and one PBU on the season
2019 Freshman
- Played in four games at defensive end and redshirted the season
- Seven tackles, 0.5 TFL on the season
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN
- Ranked No. 587 recruit in the nation by 247Sports
- Ranked No. 36 strong side defensive end in the nation by Rivals and No. 43 by 247Sports
- Ranked No. 141 defensive end by ESPN
- Ranked No. 6 recruit in Illinois by Rivals, No. 6 by 247Sports and No. 20 by ESPN
- Two-year letterwinner in football and three-year letterwinner in basketball
- Did not start playing football until his junior year
- Played for head coach Cameron Pettus at Belleville West
- 2018 USA TODAY All-USA Illinois first team
- 2018 Class 7A IHSFCA All-State
- All-South Western Conference first team
- 56 tackles, 9.0 TFLs and 7.0 sacks as a senior
- Also played basketball in high school and led Belleville West to two state titles
- Offers included Boise State, Florida State, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue, Rutgers, Syracuse, and Virginia
Personal
- Born Sept. 1, 2001
- Son of Kimberly and Keith Randolph Sr.
- Two brothers, Kaleb and Kaden
- Nicknamed “OT”
- Picked Illinois because it is, “close to home, greatest fit, family connection, and fantastic academic school.”
- Majoring in recreation, sport, and tourism
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
