Austin Tillman brings speed, ball skills, and upside to NIU’s secondary
Austin Tillman enters Northern Illinois as a **redshirt freshman cornerback** with a profile built on speed and playmaking, not just size: NIU lists him at 5'11", 179, and EA’s College Football 26 gives him **85 speed**, **88 acceleration**, and solid coverage marks (**69 zone**, **66 man**). He arrived with a strong high-school résumé — **team captain**, **two-time team MVP**, and **4 interceptions plus 6 pass breakups in 2023-24** — which suggests he can compete for snaps if his transition from athlete to college DB keeps trending up.[2][4]
