Bret Bielema didn’t hide his reaction when Illinois’ two most proven defensive backs were left off the Jim Thorpe Award preseason watch list.
“The Thorpe Award list, which is the best DB in college football, neither one of those guys were on it, which pissed me off,” Bielema said Thursday.
That list includes 35 names, and Bielema’s gripe centered on Xavier Scott and Matthew Bailey, a pair of Illinois veterans who have done more than enough to earn national attention. Scott was a finalist for the award a couple years ago, while Bailey was so highly regarded by NFL scouts a year ago that Bielema said, “I didn’t know if I was going to get Matt Bailey back [because] he was ranked so high by NFL [scouts] a year ago. So I don’t know how two players from Tulsa can be on there and not one player from Illinois, but that’s a whole another conversation.”
The two Tulsa players who got dragged into the discussion were cornerback Elijah Green and safety Zach Williams.
On the field, Illinois has a strong case. Scott is a two-time All-Big Ten selection and entered last season with All-American buzz before a season-ending injury limited him to three games in 2025. Even with that setback, there’s little reason to think he can’t climb back toward that level in 2026.
Bailey has been just as steady. He’s also a two-time All-Big Ten honoree and led the team with 76 tackles last season, adding 4.0 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and two pass breakups. Bielema and Illinois see him as one of the most physical tacklers in the Big Ten, and his work in coverage has been a strength, too.
There’s also a fit issue that could make both players even more valuable in 2026. Under new defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck, Bailey could be used as a playmaking weapon, while Scott’s versatility gives Illinois plenty of options.
Bielema said, “I love that Xavier’s play experience is really helping him now,” and added, “I’ve said this all along when I talk to NFL scouts: He literally can probably play all five DB positions. He’s super-intelligent, very versatile, extremely tough.
He’s gritty.
“He’s been through it a little bit now. So I think the - not disappointments, but the adversity he’s had the last year … with an injury - I think that’s kind of helped define his edge.
He’s been very, in my opinion, a welcome-back guy. He’s been very explosive on the field.
Super-excited to see him back in the mix."
Scott and Bailey bring experience, versatility and production to a defense that has won 19 total games over the past two seasons. They’re different players, but both have the kind of anticipation, tackling and ball skills that can change a game.
That doesn’t mean a preseason watch list decides anything. But in Illinois’ view, it does mean the rest of the country has some catching up to do.
In Other News...
Illinois Just Added Another Big Piece To Its Future Backcourt Push
Illinois is using its recent Final Four run as a springboard into the next recruiting cycle, and Brad Underwood is lining up more high-end backcourt visitors for the fall. The latest wave includes several five-star targets, with the staff continuing to push hard after already landing five-star shooting guard Quentin Coleman for the 2026 class and keeping the momentum going into the 2026-27 roster build.
One of the biggest names in that group is 2027 combo guard NaVarro Bowman Jr., who is set to take an official visit to Champaign on Sept. 10, while 2028 combo guard Brady Pettigrew is also on the visit calendar. For Illinois, the timing matters as much as the talent, because Underwood is clearly trying to stack perimeter pieces early and give the program another path to stay in the national conversation well beyond last springs breakthrough. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Freshmen Are Already Drawing Some Intriguing Former Illini Comparisons
The early look at Illinois 2026-27 freshmen class is already inviting some familiar Brad Underwood-era comparisons, which is usually a good sign that the roster has both length and upside worth talking about. Lincoln Williams, Landon Davis, Ethan Brown and Quentin Coleman all bring different skill sets to Champaign, and the broader point of the breakdown is less about projecting a finished product than about sketching what each player might become once they get into the programs system.
What makes the exercise useful for Illinois fans is how easily these freshmen can be lined up with former Illini who helped define the Underwood era in different ways, from physical wings to shot-making guards to versatile pieces who found their roles over time. The comparisons are still speculative, of course, but they offer a basic read on how this group could fit, and which newcomers may be the kind of players who start looking very familiar once the season actually gets here. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Just Earned A Real Shot At An Elite 2027 Big Man
Darius Wabbingtons recruitment has started to take on the shape of a real national chase, and Illinois is right in the middle of it. The 2027 five-star big man has lined up official visits to six finalist schools, giving the Illini a chance to make their pitch against a strong group that also includes Indiana, Louisville, Arizona, North Carolina and Texas. Wabbingtons background already stands out, too, with both high school and international experience adding to the intrigue around a prospect whose ceiling has made him one of the more closely watched young frontcourt players in the country.
For Illinois, the encouraging part is not just being included, but being included at this stage after the list tightened. Wabbington comes in as a major target with plenty of room for the next wave of recruiting momentum, and his profile suggests the kind of big man every program wants to keep in the conversation. The visits will matter, and so will the impression Illinois makes when the dust settles on this round of evaluation. [Read more 🡒]