2022 Football Roster
Jersey Number 7
Kendall Smith
- Position:
- DB
- Class:
- Senior
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- 205
- Hometown:
- Bolingbrook, Ill.
- High School:
- Bolingbrook
 2022 All-Big Ten |
 University of Illinois Graduate |
2022 Senior
- All-Big Ten honorable mention (media)
- Played in all 13 games with eight starts at free safety
- 39 tackles, five interceptions, and five pass breakups on the season
- 11th in the nation and tied for second in the Big Ten in interceptions (5)
- Career-high six tackles at Michigan 11/19/22 and against Mississippi State 1/2/23
2021 Junior
- Primarily played on special teams
- 13 tackles on the season
- Started at safety in Illinois' 47-14 season-ending win over Northwestern 11/27/21
- Illinois Special Teams Player of the Week in the win at Minnesota 11/6/21
2020 Junior
- Played in all eight games, primarily on special teams
- Seven tackles, one PBU on the season
- Made season debut at defensive back at Northwestern 12/12/20
2019 Junior
- Played in two games, primarily on special teams, and redshirted the season
2018 Sophomore
- Played 10 games, primarily on special teams
- Former wide receiver moved to safety
- 10 tackles and one forced fumble
- Career-high three tackles at Maryland 10/27/18
- First career forced fumble against Western Illinois 9/8/18
2017 Freshman
- Played in all 12 games
- Practiced at wide receiver and played primarily on special teams
- One tackle
- Made his Illinois debut in the opener against Ball State
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals, ESPN and Scout
- Ranked No. 100 wide receiver in the nation by Rivals, No. 118 by ESPN, No. 123 by Scout and No. 138 by 247Sports
- Ranked No. 9 recruit in Illinois by ESPN, No. 15 by Rivals, No. 19 by 247Sports and No. 33 by Scout
- Played at Bolingbrook High School for head coach John Ivlow
- 2016 Illinois High School Football Coaches Association all-state honorable mention
Personal
- Born Jan. 3, 1999
- Son of Vonetta Wade
- Has two sisters, Sierra and Madison
- Picked Illinois because, “it was always a favorite school of mine and I want to be apart of the change.”
- Listed Devin Hester as his favorite athlete because of his big-play ability and desire to play like him
- Majoring in learning and education studies
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
