Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 42-23vs UAB | 3 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 27-31vs Duke | 5 | 3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 8 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#10
James Kreutz
Senior linebacker for Illinois. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 235 lb · Bannockburn, IL · Loyola Academy
CFB Index 30 · #461 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Illinois for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
8
tackles · 2026
1 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 tackles, 0.5 TFL, vs Duke
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Illinois. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Illinois in 2022.
James Kreutz
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. This is his fifth year in the same linebacker corps at Illinois. The receipt on tape: 5 tackles, 0.5 TFL against Duke, Week 2, 2026.
8 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 5 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2022
- Signed with Illinois3-star out of Loyola Academy
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Illinois
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
1 coach2022–2026
Illinois
Played his entire career under Bret Bielema.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
5 seasons under Bret Bielema — 33-20 over that span.
2022Illinois8-5HC: Bret Bielema · Run-leaning
2023Illinois5-7HC: Bret Bielema · Balanced
2024Illinois10-3HC: Bret Bielema · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Illinois9-4HC: Bret Bielema · Run-leaning
2026Illinois1-1HC: Bret Bielema · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
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 2 games: 4.0 TKL/g, 0.5 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 · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
30 · #461 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #461 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #63 of 72 Big Ten LBs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 42–23
vs UAB
3 TOT · 1 SOLO · 0 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
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
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
DNA match
Player DNA
Coverage 'Backer
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jackson Wiegold’s 2024 season.
Matches Jackson on
Weight
Tackle volume
TFL rate
Differs from Jackson on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Jalen Woods's senior season at UCLA (2025).
Matches Jalen on
Solo tackle rate
Height
PD rate
Differs from Jalen on
Tackle volume (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like James Kreutz
Background
University of Illinois Graduate Pronunciation: krew-tz 2025 - Illinois Played in all 12 games with one start 29 total tackles (15 solo) with 3.5 tackles for loss and three pass breaksups on the season Tied for fifth on the team with 3.5 tackles for loss Three tackles (one solo) with a tackle for...
The linebacker corps · Illinois
- #45Robert Edmonson47 tackles · 2025
- #24William Holmes45 tackles · 2025
- #10James Kreutz30 tackles · 2025
- #4Daniel Brown11 tackles · 2025
- #26Ismael Kante8 tackles · 2025
10 more on the roster · Illinois team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology