Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 42-23vs UAB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#8
Cameron Thomas
Freshman linebacker for Illinois. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 205 lb · Cincinnati, OH · Lakota West
Returning to Illinois for 2026
The numbers
1
tackle · 2026
1 TFL
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, 1 TFL, vs UAB
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 linebacker for Illinois. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Illinois in 2026.
Cameron Thomas
One game to point at: 1 tackles, 1 TFL against UAB — Week 1, 2026.
1 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- game log
His career
2026
- Signed with Illinois3-star out of Lakota West
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Illinois
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026Illinois1-1HC: Bret Bielema · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 1.0 TKL/g, 1.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bret Bielema
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Illinois | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 42–23
vs UAB
1 TOT · 1 SOLO · 1 TFL
With K. Houser — 182 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 98.9 · 29 rush yds (3 car) · 1 TD · C. Valentine — 88 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Illinois
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Illinois
Returning around him
- 3 Illinois players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -7 net (20 in / 27 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Illinois · Last season: 9-4 (AP #23) · Talent rank #51 · 2026 recruiting class #24
Background
High School Four-star recruit by ESPN and three-star by 247Sports and Rivals Position ranks: #29 (ESPN), #41 (Rivals), #44 (247) State ranks: #19 (ESPN), #28 (247), #60 (Rivals) Played for head coach Tom Bolden at Lakota West Four-year letterwinner Led Lakota West to two Greater Miami Conference...
The linebacker corps · Illinois
- #45Robert Edmonson47 tackles · 2025
- #24William Holmes45 tackles · 2025
- #10James Kreutz30 tackles · 2025
- #4Daniel Brown11 tackles · 2025
- #8Cameron Thomas1 game · 2026
10 more on the roster · Illinois team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology