ESPN: 2017 Freshman All-America Team
S: Bennett Williams, Illinois
It was a rough year for Illinois as coach Lovie Smith rebuilds with young talent, but of the nearly dozen freshmen who saw regular work on the Illini defense, Williams stood out. His 64 tackles were fifth-most on the team and the second most in the Big Ten by a freshman. Williams also picked off three passes, broke up two more, and had 1.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
It was a rough year for Illinois as coach Lovie Smith rebuilds with young talent, but of the nearly dozen freshmen who saw regular work on the Illini defense, Williams stood out. His 64 tackles were fifth-most on the team and the second most in the Big Ten by a freshman. Williams also picked off three passes, broke up two more, and had 1.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
