Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 42-23vs UAB | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Total | — | — | — | — | — |
#83
Kaden Feagin
Senior tight end on Illinois's 2026 roster.
6′3″ · 260 lb · Atwood, IL · ALAH
CFB Index 46 · #169 of 326 RBsMedium-low 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.
Recruiting
4★
ATH recruit
No. 380 nationally · Signed with Illinois
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 tight end on Illinois's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Illinois in 2023.
Kaden Feagin
Just keeps getting the ball, series after series. He has spent four seasons in the Illinois receiving corps. 2023 brought the first one: Big Ten Freshman Player of the Week.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- recognition record
His career
He was winning awards before he was old enough to be a story.
The week the volume broke through — put up 100 yds vs Western Michigan.Western Michigan · W 38-02025
20239 games
- Signed with Illinois4-star out of Arthur
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Illinois
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎓
FRESHMAN HONORS
Freshman recognition (2023)
2 mention(s)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Illinois
Played his entire career under Bret Bielema.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Bret Bielema — 25-15 over that span.
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
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Not enough tracked stats yet to summarize this season.
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
No accolade-ladder standing yet.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #24 of 44 Big Ten RBs
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
1 TOT · 1 SOLO
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
Built to take 20+ carries per game. Volume is the value.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Illinois
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Tight end · Illinois
Returning around him
- 21% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- 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
Workhorse
Built to take 20+ carries per game. Volume is the value.
TE
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Tyson Riley’s 2021 season.
Matches Tyson on
Yards / carry
Weight
Class year
Differs from Tyson on
Height (higher)
Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Chuba Hubbard’s path through Oklahoma State.
94%match
All-Big 12NFL Rd 4
#2
Andrew Body
91%
#4
Narii Gaither
87%
Matches Chuba on
Yards per carry
Recruiting rating
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Bryan Bradford's junior season at Kent State (2022).
57%match
Differs from Bryan on
Recruiting rating (higher)
Height (higher)
Yards / reception (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Kaden Feagin
Background
Pronunciation: KAY-dihn FAY-gihn 2023 All-Big Ten 2025 - Illinois CSC Academic All-District Played in all 13 games with four starts at running back 122 carries for 507 yards and seven rushing touchdowns on the season 16 receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns on the season 12th in the Big Ten...
The tight end room · Illinois
- #83Kaden Feagin188 receiving yards · 2025
- #88Davin Stoffel24 receiving yards · 2025
- #86Christian Abney12 receiving yards · 2025
- #14Maurice Smithno box-score line yet
- #87BJ Thurmanno box-score line yet
4 more on the roster · Illinois team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology