Tony Balanganayi
6′4″ · 290 lb · Palatine, IL
On the Illinois roster; he has not appeared in a game on our list yet.
Where he comes from
- Palatine, IL
- Palatine
- About 150 miles from Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL)
- Three-star recruit, No. 704 nationally in the 2026 class, rating 0.8811.
Where he fits
Illinois lists 18 defensive linemen this season.
Illinois defensive linemen with a game this season
Illinois’s week
- RecordIllinois is 3-3.
- Next gameat Maryland · Sat Oct 31
Players like him
Same class and position
Also from Palatine, IL
News and fans
No outlet on our list has written about him by name this season.
Illinois in the news
Where to follow him
Splits
Home and road splits, scheme and staff
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bret Bielema
Pass share
51.9%
192 pass / 178 run
Plays / game
61.7
6 games
Team sack rate
3.2%
216 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced, slow tempo.
Awards
A three-star recruit at defensive lineman for Illinois.
He hasn't recorded a college stat yet. Here's what we know about him.
Three-star HS recruit
Illinois has produced 4 All-Conference defensive linemen and 1 All-American. 3 have gone on to the NFL Draft since 2016. Johnny Newton was one of them, an All-American.
Joined Illinois in 2026
- 2026 Illinois BielemaYear 1 · on the roster, no stat line
- Before collegeSigned with Illinois in 2026 as a 3-star recruit, No. 704 in the country.
His moves
- Signed with Illinois in the 2026 class, a 3-star recruit.
His career
2026
- Signed with Illinois3-star out of Palatine