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University of Illinois Athletics

2025 Football Roster

Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini

29 TJ Griffin

  • Position LB
  • Class Junior
  • Height 6-0
  • Weight 220
  • Major Organizational & Community Leadership
  • Hometown Hickory Hills, Ill.
  • High School Amos Alonzo Stagg
  • Instagram TJ_griffin23
  • Twitter Timothy01338927

Biography

2024 Sophomore

  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Played in two games, primarily on special teams

2023 Redshirt Freshman

  • Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Did not play in a game
  • Illinois SAAC representative

2022 Freshman

  • Did not play in a game and redshirted the season

High School 

  • Three-star recruit by 247Sports and On3, two-star recruit by Rivals
  • Position ranks: #128 (247)
  • State ranks: #37 (247)
  • Played for head coach Colt Nero at Amos Alonzo Stagg
  • Two-year letterwinner
  • 2021 Illinois High School Football Coaches Association 8A All-State first team
  • Stagg record holder for season receiving yards and career receiving yards
  • 2021 All-State Academic Team
  • NFF Scholar-Athlete Award
  • Student Council
  • Played three seasons of varsity basketball
  • Also played volleyball as a freshman
  • Student Council member
  • Moraine Valley Business Skills Competition third-place finisher

Personal

  • Born March 8, 2004
  • Son of Timothy Griffin and Kimberly McGraw
  • Mother played college basketball at Moraine Valley Community College
  • One brother and one sister on his mother’s side, Jaiden and McKenzie, and two brothers and one sister on his father’s side, Justice, Gavin, and Mia
  • Chose Illinois because, “Illinois is my home. They were the only school who reached out to me and the only school I would want to have reached out to me. There’s nothing better than being with people who see and work for the best in you and that is exactly what Illinois is all about. Getting the best out of me and turning me into the man I wish to be.”
  • Majoring in organizational and community leadership

Statistics

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 29

    2022Freshman

    DB
    6'0" 200 lbs
    29
  • 29

    2023Redshirt Freshman

    DB
    6'0" 205 lbs
    29
  • 29

    2024Sophomore

    LB
    6'0" 220 lbs
    29
  • 29

    2025Junior

    LB
    6'0" 220 lbs
    29