Combine Participants | 2017 NFL Draft | Illini Combine History
Four former Illinois football players will showcase their talents at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine, Feb. 28-March 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Illini DT Chunky Clements, LB Hardy Nickerson, DE Carroll Phillips and DE Dawuane Smoot will workout in front of hundreds of NFL scouts, coaches and general managers in preparation for the 2017 NFL Draft, which will take place April 27-29 in Philadelphia.
DT Chunky Clements » Clements was a 6-3, 295-pound defensive tackle for the Fighting Illini. He played in 46 games making 20 starts, and racking up 99 tackles, 25.5 TFLs, 6.0 sacks, five passes defended and four forced fumbles during his UI career. As a senior in 2016, Clements registered career-highs in tackles (36) and sacks (3.5) while registering 7.0 TFLs. He was invited to play in the 2017 East-West Shrine game, but could not participate due to injury.
LB Hardy Nickerson » The 6-0, 230-pound linebacker led Illinois in tackles with 107 to earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. He ranked fourth in the Big Ten in tackles per game (8.9). The graduate transfer from Cal, whose father is the Illinois defensive coordinator and former All-Pro linebacker of the same name, finished his career with 353 career tackles, ranking sixth among active players and second among active FBS tacklers. He played in the 2017 East-West Shrine game.
DE Carroll Phillips » Phillips, measuring 6-3, 240, had a monster senior season, earning first team All-Big Ten honors, the first Illini to do so since 2011, after racking up 56 tackles, 20.0 TFLs, 9.0 sacks, 3 QB hurries, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery. He ranked sixth in FBS in TFLs per game (1.7) and his 20.0 TFLs tied for the fifth-most in a season in Illinois history. He played in the 2017 Senior Bowl.
DE Dawuane Smoot » Smoot, a 6-3, 255-pound defensive end for the Illini, posted 56 tackles, 15.0 TFLs, 5.0 sacks, 10 QB hurries, one PBU, two forced fumbles in 2016 to earn third-team All-Big Ten honors. He finished his UI career ranked sixth in program history in career TFLs (38.5) and eighth in career sacks (16.5). He played in the 2017 Senior Bowl.
