Honors

IllinoisFighting Illini

27 consensus All-Americans between 1914 and 2023, 8 unanimous · 3 national awards.

All-Americans

1914–2023 · 8 unanimous

Heisman

no winners

Consensus All-Americans

Season	Player	Pos
2023	Jer’Zhan Newton	DL
2022	Devon Witherspoon	DB
2011	Whitney Mercilus unanimous	DL
2007	J Leman	LB
1995	Kevin Hardy	LB
1994	Dana Howard unanimous	LB
1990	Moe Gardner	DL
1989	Moe Gardner unanimous	DL
1985	David Williams unanimous	WR
1984	David Williams unanimous	WR
1965	Jim Grabowski unanimous	B
1964	Dick Butkus	C
1963	Dick Butkus unanimous	C
1959	Bill Burrell	G
1953	J.C. Caroline	B
1951	Johnny Karras	B
1946	Alex Agase	G
1926	Bernie Shively	G
1925	Red Grange	B
1924	Red Grange unanimous	B
1923	James McMillen	G
1923	Red Grange	B
1920	Charles Carney	E
1918	John Depler	C
1915	Bart Macomber	B
1914	Perry Graves	E
1914	Ralph Chapman	G

National awards

Wins only. Places in the voting are listed separately below.

Award	Won
Dick Butkus Award	2
Ted Hendricks Defensive End Award	1

Every winner

Season	Award	Player
2011	Ted Hendricks Defensive End Award	Whitney Mercilus
1995	Dick Butkus Award	Kevin Hardy
1994	Dick Butkus Award	Dana Howard

Award voting — other places

Second through fourth in the voting. Never counted as wins.

Season	Award	Player	Place	Points
1965	Heisman Memorial Trophy	Jim Grabowski	3rd	481
1964	Heisman Memorial Trophy	Dick Butkus	3rd	505
1959	Heisman Memorial Trophy	Bill Burrell	4th	196

Source: the NCAA’s official Football Records and Awards books, 2026 edition — printed there as ILLINOIS. Consensus All-America is the NCAA’s own designation, recognising players named by a majority of the official selectors in a given season.