#7
Illinois · 2026

Matthew Bailey

DBSenior6' 2", 225 lbsMoline, IL
Illinois Fighting Illini3-3 · TDC #49
Snap share
97%
5 of 6 started · likely 73–100%
Tackles
41
179th of 5406 in FBS
Solo
25
Tackles for loss
1
1346th of 2447 in FBS
Sacks
0
Interceptions
1
109th of 526 in FBS

Advanced

Computed from every play, garbage time excluded. FBS rank among players with enough volume

DefenseValueFBS rank
Havoc plays11746th / 2573
Tackles for loss11082nd / 1909
Run stops15233rd / 3262
Sacks0—
Pass breakups0—
Interceptions0—
Forced fumbles0—
Tackles41—

Charting

Where Bailey's plays went: throw and catch spots, air yards and yards after the catch, read from the play-by-play

Passes defended
1
0 broken up · 1 intercepted
QB hurries
1
as the play text names the rusher
Tackles after a catch
14
13.3 yds per catch on those
YAC on those catches
7.7
yds after the catch before his tackle
Coverage plays
15
PBUs + INTs + tackles after a catch

The play-by-play names the defender on breakups, interceptions and tackles, but not the man in coverage on every throw, so true times-targeted isn't in the text. Coverage plays is the closest stand-in; exact targets come from hand charting.

Career

5 seasons since 2014 · box-score totals, snap share estimated from play-by-play

SeasonTeamGSnapsTklTFLSacksINTPDHavoc
2026 so farIllinois#49 · 3-3697%4110111
2025Illinois#27 · 9-41277%7640025
2024Illinois#37 · 10-31398%931.50152
2023Illinois#75 · 5-718%———0—0
2022 *Illinois#22 · 8-5515%3——311

Past seasons are summed from ESPN box scores; success rates and snap shares come from the play-by-play. Matthew Bailey's team rank is that season's final TDC rank. A dash means the stat wasn't recorded. * Defense rebuilt from the play-by-play (ESPN's box scores that season are missing it); about 10% below official totals.

Game Log

Matthew Bailey's box score, game by game, from ESPN, with a 0–10 game score for each (hover it for how it works). Click a result for the full game

7.2 avg. game scoreBest: 9.9 vs Southern Illinois (Week 3)2 of 6 games at 8.0+
Defense
WkOpponentResultGame scoreTklSoloTFLSacksHurPDINTTD
1UABW 42–237.7870011··
2DukeL 27–315.3410000··
3Southern IllinoisW 48–109.921000012
4@Ohio StateL 19–428.21471000··
5PurdueL 17–246.7970000··
6@Michigan StateW 38–375.5420000··
2026 · 6 games7.24125101112

2026 Season Stats

FBS rank among qualifying players

Defense2026FBS rank
Tackles41179th / 5406
Solo25—
Tackles for loss11346th / 2447
Sacks0—
QB hurries1628th / 1377
Passes defended1702nd / 1588
Defensive TD1—
Interceptions2026FBS rank
Interceptions1109th / 526
Return yards88—
Pick-sixes1—

Snaps by Game

Estimated snaps from a model trained on real NFL snap counts. Ranges in brackets are where the real number lands 80% of the time: wide for a single game, tighter over the season. How it works

GameStartOpp. playsEst. snapsPlays madeSpecial teamsSnap share
Wk 1 · UAB✓ DB77~76 (31–77)8·99%
Wk 2 · Duke✓ DB56~52 (21–55)4·93%
Wk 3 · Southern Illinois✓ DB69~62 (25–66)3190%
Wk 4 · Ohio State✓ DB68~68 (27–68)14·100%
Wk 5 · Purdue✓ DB60~60 (24–60)9·100%
Wk 6 · Michigan State—55~54 (22–55)4·98%
Season5 GS385372 (282–385)42197%

Position Room

18 DBs on the Illinois roster, ordered by tkl

#PlayerPosClassTklTFLSacksINTPD
7Matthew BaileyDBSR411011
6Juice ClarkeDBSR2600—5
0Mac ResetichDBSR2500—2
1Xavier ScottDBSR190.50—3
16Tanner HeckelDBJR1520—1
32Tywan CoxDBSO1200—1
5Jakwon MorrisDBJR1000—1
22Deuce FillmoreDBSR500—0
3Nick Hankins Jr.DBFR400—0
21Ben ClawsonDBSR300—0
13Xanai ScottDBSO100—0
25Des StraughtonDBSO100—0
29James Finley IVDBSO100—0
Almirian ThomasDB100—0
9RJ Jones IIIDBSO—————
14Andre Lovett Jr.DBSO—————
35Kaedyn CobbsDBFR—————
37Caden ConsidineDBFR—————

Stats, EPA and usage come from CollegeFootballData.com and refresh daily. FBS ranks only count players with enough volume for the stat to mean something. Qualifying for EPA takes —+ plays per team game. Illinois depth chart →