Illinois Fighting Illini#26 · LB Ismael Kante
85 Overall rating steady- Height
- 6-2
- Weight
- 235 lb
- Class
- Senior
- Hometown
- Brooklyn Park, MN
Ismael Kante is a LB (#26) for Illinois, from Brooklyn Park, MN. In the 2026 season he has 29 tackles and 1 interception over 5 games. Season-by-season stats and the game log are below.
Skill profile
Production
Tackles 17
Sacks 3
Interceptions 12
Passes defensed 8
Forced fumbles 3
Splash plays 11
Efficiency
Tackles per game 16
Sack rate 3
Coverage 15
Ball-hawking 12
Run defense 17
Havoc rate 13
Measurables
Height 10
Weight 13
Frame 11
Experience 17
How we rate The BIG10.CO skill model methodology & sources
Every rating is produced by our own model. Not a vendor score. Each skill is graded 0-20 by where a player ranks against others at his position, and the Overall is a position-normalized rating where an elite player tops out near 96 (a rare 97 plus is reserved for all-time greats) so a cornerback and a receiver read on the same scale. Ratings are built through week 6 of the 2026 season and refreshed every week through the season, so the ▲/▼ beside the Overall is the genuine move since last week.
- Data. Real box-score production from CollegeFootballData, drawn from official game stats.
- Method. Each stat is turned into a within-position percentile, then blended across a player's recent seasons, weighted by games played so recent, full seasons lead and an injury year does not sink the score.
- People. Compiled by The BIG10.CO Desk and checked by Coverage Review against the official book.
- Updates. Recomputed on Mondays once the week's games are final. Corrections are logged in our editorial & corrections policy.
2026 season
29
Tackles
0.0
Sacks
1
Interceptions
2.5
Tackles for loss
0
Passes defended
0
Forced fumbles
Ismael Kante career stats by year
| Season | Tm | G | Tackles | Sacks | INT | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ILL | 5 | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | ILL | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | 10 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Season totals, 2025 to 2026. Source: CollegeFootballData.
Schedule and results
Status
Result
Season
24
10
31
23
28
13
32
0
3No games match these filters.
Box score log
| Date | Opp | Result | TKL | SACK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3 | vs Purdue | L 17-24 | 10 | 0 |
| Sep 26 | at Ohio State | L 19-42 | 4 | 0 |
| Sep 19 | vs Southern Illinois | W 48-10 | 5 | 0 |
| Sep 12 | vs Duke | L 27-31 | 4 | 0 |
| Sep 3 | vs UAB | W 42-23 | 6 | 0 |
Career timeline
- NowIllinois LB: #26
- ClassSenior
- HometownBrooklyn Park, MN
Ismael Kante: Illinois LB profile and stats
Ismael Kante is a LB (#26) for Illinois, from Brooklyn Park, MN. This profile tracks Ismael Kante's season stats, skill ratings and game log through the 2026 season, and links straight into the Illinois roster, the Big Ten players hub and the conference schedule. To see where Illinois sits in the race, check the live Big Ten standings.
Ismael Kante in the news
All newsRecapIllinois beat Southern Illinois 48-10 (Week 3, 2026)Illinois beat Southern Illinois 48-10 at Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL). Now Illinois is 2-1, and Southern Illinois is 2-2.2026-09-19RecapDuke beat Illinois 31-27 (Week 2, 2026)Duke beat Illinois 31-27 at Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL). Now Duke is 2-0, and Illinois is 1-1.2026-09-12RecapIllinois beat UAB 42-23 (Week 1, 2026)Illinois beat UAB 42-23 at Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL). Now Illinois is 1-0, and UAB is 0-1.2026-09-03
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Frequently asked questions
What team does Ismael Kante play for?
Ismael Kante plays for Illinois, wearing #26 at LB.
What position does Ismael Kante play?
Ismael Kante is a LB for Illinois.
How tall is Ismael Kante?
Ismael Kante is 6-2 and weighs 235 lb.
What year is Ismael Kante in?
Ismael Kante is listed as a senior on the Illinois roster.
Where is Ismael Kante from?
Ismael Kante is from Brooklyn Park, MN.
How many tackles does Ismael Kante have?
Ismael Kante has 29 tackles in the 2026 season. Full numbers are in the stats above.