Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
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| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 6 | W 38-37@ Michigan State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackle |
James Finley is a defensive back at Illinois who has played in 1 of Illinois's 8 games this season, most recently Oct 10.
Illinois is 5-3.
The two seasons span two programs and two head coaches: Thomas Hammock and Bret Bielema. One game to point at: 1 tackle against Michigan State — Week 6, 2026.
1 tackle · 0 sacks
Style of play
Style of play
Play style
Erases the deep middle of the field.
Similar players
Closest statistical matches, adjusted for opponent strength.
Where to follow
Career stats
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| Season | Team | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Illinois | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Northern Illinois | 15 | 10 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 2 |
| Career | 16 | 11 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 2 |
Game log
Signature game
Week 6 · 2026
W 38-37
1 tackle · 1 solo tackle
Edged out Michigan State on the road in a shootout.
Teams and coaches
2025Northern Illinois3-9HC: Thomas Hammock · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2026Illinois5-3HC: Bret Bielema · Balanced, slow tempo
Our ratings
Splits
Home and road splits, scheme and staff
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 1.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bret Bielema
Pass share
49.5%
243 pass / 248 run
Plays / game
61.4
8 games
Team sack rate
3.7%
271 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced, slow tempo.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
1 tackle in 1 game
Fewer tackles a game than most FBS defensive backs who play every week.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Two seasons, two schools
2026 is in progress.
- 2026 Illinois BielemaYear 2 · 1 game
- Mar 2026 Entered the transfer portalNorthern Illinois to Illinois
- 2025 Northern Illinois HammockYear 1 · 7 games
- High school AndreanMerrillville, IN · Class of 2025Three-star, No. 828 in the 2025 class. Signed with Northern Illinois.Also from Andrean: Drayk Bowen (Notre Dame) and Ben Novak (Indiana).
Moves
- Transferred from Northern Illinois to Illinois, Mar 25, 2026.
2025 7 games
- Signed with Northern IllinoisThree-star, out of Andrean
2026
- Transferred to Illinoisfrom Northern Illinois
Coaching lineage · 2025–2026
2 coaches2025
Northern Illinois
Played for 2 head coaches at 2 schools: Thomas Hammock and Bret Bielema.
Next stop · Transfer
Transferred to Illinois
2025Northern Illinois
2026Illinois