Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 42-23vs UAB | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 27-31vs Duke | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#1
Xavier Scott
Senior defensive back on Illinois's 2026 roster.
5′11″ · 195 lb · Riviera Beach, FL · Dwyer
CFB Index 88 · #15 of 327 cornersLow 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
3★
CB recruit
No. 1376 nationally · Signed with Illinois
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive back on Illinois's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Illinois in 2022.
Buzz vs Tape
Every angle we can check here reads about where you'd expect this season.
29.5own fans
25.8national conversation
Xavier Scott
Hits like a linebacker and still takes the ball away. He has spent five seasons in the Illinois secondary. 2024 brought the first one: All-Big Ten. One game to point at: 4 tackles against Duke — Week 2, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
20223 games
- Signed with Illinois3-star out of Dwyer
202412 games
The role got bigger.
- All-Big Tenfirst
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Illinois
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🥈
ALL-BIG TEN · 1ST TEAM
All-Big Ten 1st team (2024)
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
Low 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: 3.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.5 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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 42–23
vs UAB
2 TOT · 2 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
Hits like a linebacker and still takes the ball away.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Illinois
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive back · 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
Rover
Hits like a linebacker and still takes the ball away.
S
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Donte Kent’s 2023 season.
91%match
All-MACNFL Rd 7
Matches Donte on
PD rate
Weight
Tackle volume
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Markevious Brown's junior season at Purdue (2023).
87%match
Matches Markevious on
Class year
PD rate
Tackle volume
Player DNA
Players who play like Xavier Scott
Background
Pronunciation: EX-ay-veer University of Illinois Graduate 2024 Phil Steele All-America Honorable Mention Two-Time All-Big Ten 2026 - Illinois Team Captain Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten Third Team Announced his return to Illinois on Jan. 15, 2026 2025 - Illinois Played and started the first three g...
The secondary · Illinois
- #7Matthew Bailey76 tackles · 2025
- #22Deuce Fillmore39 tackles · 2025
- #16Tanner Heckel36 tackles · 2025
- #6Jaheim Clarke30 tackles · 2025
- #1Xavier Scott6 tackles · 2025
16 more on the roster · Illinois team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology