Illinois Fighting Illini NIL valuations
117 athletes · Big Ten · estimated ranges as of August 2026
Illinois supports NIL across football and men's basketball, with donor activity coordinated through the Icon Collective. Football's stock rose sharply after a ten-win 2024 season, which improved the program's recruiting position and its NIL fundraising case, while basketball has consistently used the transfer portal and international recruiting to build rosters. Chicago's corporate market sits within reach but is shared with professional teams and Northwestern. As a Big Ten member, Illinois takes in one of the largest media-revenue payouts in college sports, which funds direct payments to athletes under the House settlement cap, about $20.5 million in the first year and increasing annually. Individual valuations for Illini players are rarely reported, so most published figures are estimates.
| Athlete | Position | Class | 2026 role | Est. range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katin Houser | Quarterback | Senior | Star / headline name | $1.2M to $1.9M |
| Christian Martin | Offensive Lineman | Junior | Projected starter | $400K to $625K |
| Brandon Henderson | Offensive Lineman | Senior | Projected starter | $400K to $625K |
| Carter Janki | Defensive Lineman | Senior | Projected starter | $392K to $613K |
| Nathan Knapik | Offensive Lineman | Sophomore | Projected starter | $375K to $586K |
| Xavier Scott | Cornerback | Senior | Star / headline name | $316K to $494K |
| Tomislav Ivisic | Center | $280K to $438K | ||
| Matthew Bailey | Safety | Senior | Star / headline name | $268K to $419K |
| Kaden Feagin | Tight End | Senior | Star / headline name | $256K to $400K |
| Daniel Brown | Edge Rusher | Senior | Projected starter | $144K to $225K |
| Jakwon Morris | Cornerback | Junior | Projected starter | $132K to $206K |
| Hudson Clement | Wide Receiver | Senior | Projected starter | $132K to $206K |
| Jayshon Platt | Wide Receiver | Senior | Projected starter | $128K to $200K |
| Ca'Lil Valentine | Running Back | Junior | Projected starter | $124K to $194K |
| Collin Dixon | Wide Receiver | Junior | Projected starter | $120K to $188K |
| Juice Clarke | Cornerback | Senior | Projected starter | $116K to $181K |
| Aidan Laughery | Running Back | Senior | Projected starter | $116K to $181K |
| James Finley IV | Safety | Sophomore | Projected starter | $116K to $181K |
| Grant Beerman | Linebacker | Sophomore | Projected starter | $116K to $181K |
| Carson Boyd | Quarterback | Redshirt freshman | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $112K to $175K |
| Jake Renfro | Offensive Lineman | Senior | Projected starter | $112K to $175K |
| Mac Resetich | Safety | Senior | Projected starter | $108K to $169K |
| Joe Barna | Defensive Lineman | Junior | Projected starter | $108K to $169K |
| Christian Abney | Tight End | Senior | Projected starter | $108K to $169K |
| Darrell Prater | Defensive Lineman | Senior | Projected starter | $108K to $169K |
| James Kreutz | Linebacker | Senior | Projected starter | $104K to $163K |
| Maika Matelau | Offensive Lineman | Sophomore | Projected starter | $104K to $163K |
| Ethan Moczulski | Kicker | Senior | Projected starter | $69K to $108K |
| Ty Robinson | Wide Receiver | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $57K to $89K |
| Brayden Trimble | Wide Receiver | Redshirt freshman | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $55K to $86K |
| Lars Rau | Punter | Sophomore | Projected starter | $55K to $86K |
| Deuce Fillmore | Cornerback | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $54K to $84K |
| Patrick Mahoney III | Long Snapper | Junior | Projected starter | $50K to $79K |
| Demetrius John | Defensive Lineman | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $50K to $78K |
| Mason Muragin | Edge Rusher | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $49K to $76K |
| Pat Farrell | Defensive Lineman | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $48K to $75K |
| Eddie Kasper | Wide Receiver | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $47K to $74K |
| Jershaun Newton | Quarterback | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $46K to $73K |
| Tanner Heckel | Cornerback | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $46K to $73K |
| Jordan Anderson | Running Back | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $46K to $73K |
| Alex Perry | Wide Receiver | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $46K to $71K |
| Nick Hankins Jr. | Cornerback | Freshman | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $45K to $70K |
| Brandon Hansen | Offensive Lineman | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $45K to $70K |
| Robert Edmonson | Linebacker | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $43K to $68K |
| Eddie Tuerk | Offensive Lineman | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $42K to $66K |
| Michael Clayton II | Quarterback | Freshman | Roster depth | $42K to $65K |
| Lavon Williams | Safety | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $42K to $65K |
| Xanai Scott | Safety | Redshirt freshman | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $42K to $65K |
| Isaiah Thomison | Defensive Lineman | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $39K to $61K |
| Ismael Kante | Linebacker | Senior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $38K to $60K |
| Champ Smith | Offensive Lineman | Freshman | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $38K to $60K |
| TJ Taylor | Offensive Lineman | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $38K to $60K |
| Davin Stoffel | Tight End | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $38K to $60K |
| TJ McMillen | Offensive Lineman | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $37K to $58K |
| Will Holmes | Edge Rusher | Junior | Roster depth | $23K to $36K |
| Lucas Osada | Kicker | Sophomore | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $23K to $36K |
| Nas Rankin | Wide Receiver | Freshman | Roster depth | $22K to $35K |
| Andre Lovett Jr. | Cornerback | Sophomore | Roster depth | $22K to $35K |
| Leslie Mosley Jr. | Wide Receiver | Freshman | Roster depth | $22K to $35K |
| RJ Jones III | Cornerback | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $22K to $34K |
| Kenyon Alston | Wide Receiver | Freshman | Roster depth | $22K to $34K |
| Jack Gray | Punter | Freshman | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $22K to $34K |
| Almirian Thomas | Cornerback | Freshman | Roster depth | $22K to $34K |
| Ean Rhea | Edge Rusher | Senior | Roster depth | $21K to $33K |
| Javari Barnett | Running Back | Freshman | Roster depth | $20K to $31K |
| Parker Crim | Defensive Lineman | Freshman | Roster depth | $20K to $31K |
| Connor Sullivan | Defensive Lineman | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $20K to $31K |
| Davon Grant | Wide Receiver | Freshman | Roster depth | $19K to $30K |
| Murphy Clement | Running Back | Sophomore | Roster depth | $19K to $30K |
| Tywan Cox | Cornerback | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $19K to $30K |
| Cameron Brooks | Defensive Lineman | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $19K to $30K |
| Isaiah Williams | Safety | Freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $29K |
| Logan Farrell | Tight End | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $29K |
| Cedric Wyche II | Running Back | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $29K |
| Kayden Bennett | Linebacker | Freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $29K |
| Jack Paris | Linebacker | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $29K |
| Zach Haber | Long Snapper | Junior | Rotation / two-deep candidate | $18K to $29K |
| Tony Balanganayi | Defensive Lineman | Freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $29K |
| Deon Williams | Defensive Lineman | Sophomore | Roster depth | $18K to $29K |
| Isaiah White | Defensive Lineman | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $29K |
| Jacob Alexander | Linebacker | Freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Maurice Smith Jr. | Tight End | Senior | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Jacob Eberhart | Safety | Freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| John Forster | Running Back | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Erik Gayle | Linebacker | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Kaedyn Cobbs | Safety | Freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| JJ Hirdes | Offensive Lineman | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Joshua Davis | Defensive Lineman | Sophomore | Roster depth | $18K to $28K |
| Kingston Shaw | Defensive Lineman | Freshman | Roster depth | $17K to $26K |
| Jaylen Stewart | Linebacker | Freshman | Roster depth | $17K to $26K |
| Guillermo Gallardo | Defensive Lineman | Senior | Roster depth | $17K to $26K |
| Casey Thomann | Offensive Lineman | Freshman | Roster depth | $17K to $26K |
| Zafir Stewart | Offensive Lineman | Sophomore | Roster depth | $17K to $26K |
| King Liggins | Defensive Lineman | Freshman | Roster depth | $17K to $26K |
| Cameron Thomas | Linebacker | Freshman | Roster depth | $16K to $25K |
| Dane Eisenmenger | Quarterback | Freshman | Roster depth | $16K to $25K |
| Des Straughton | Safety | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $16K to $25K |
| Tony Williams | Linebacker | Freshman | Roster depth | $16K to $25K |
| Alfred Washington | Offensive Lineman | Junior | Roster depth | $16K to $25K |
| Kai Pritchard | Offensive Lineman | Freshman | Roster depth | $16K to $25K |
| Griffin Rousseau | Offensive Lineman | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $16K to $25K |
| BJ Thurman | Tight End | Sophomore | Roster depth | $16K to $25K |
| Michael McDonough | Offensive Lineman | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $16K to $24K |
| Dylan Frechette | Offensive Lineman | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $16K to $24K |
| Karson Kaiser | Wide Receiver | Sophomore | Roster depth | $8K to $13K |
| Jacob Harvey | Wide Receiver | Freshman | Roster depth | $8K to $13K |
| Nate Cichy | Wide Receiver | Freshman | Roster depth | $8K to $13K |
| Corey Rashad | Running Back | Junior | Roster depth | $7K to $11K |
| Nelsyn Wheeler | Running Back | Freshman | Roster depth | $7K to $11K |
| Caden Considine | Safety | Freshman | Roster depth | $7K to $11K |
| Will Vala III | Tight End | Freshman | Roster depth | $7K to $11K |
| Tanner Hollinger | Tight End | Sophomore | Roster depth | $7K to $11K |
| Ben Clawson | Safety | Senior | Roster depth | $6K to $9K |
| Landen Von Seggern | Offensive Lineman | Freshman | Roster depth | $6K to $9K |
| Grant Smith | Tight End | Redshirt freshman | Roster depth | $6K to $9K |
| Carter Smith | Linebacker | Sophomore | Roster depth | $6K to $9K |
| Zach Barrett | Offensive Lineman | Sophomore | Roster depth | $5K to $8K |
The exact estimate and breakdown for each athlete are free on their page with an email.
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