Tye Niekamp is Illinois State’s defensive tone-setter and 2025 MVFC Defensive Player of the Year
Niekamp has emerged as a high-impact, every-down linebacker for Illinois State, pairing production with playmaking—he was a tackling machine early in his career and, in 2025, earned MVFC Defensive Player of the Year honors, signaling he’s more than just a stat collector. His value is his consistency, instincts, and ability to affect the game in multiple ways, which makes him a strong fit for teams that want a reliable field general with proven conference-level recognition.
