Xavier Scott holds the NB · Starter spot in Illinois Fighting Illini’s safety room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

Xavier Scott is a 5'11", 195-pound defensive back from Riviera Beach, Florida, who attended Dwyer High School. A three-star recruit from the 2022 class, Scott joined Illinois and redshirted his freshman year in 2022, appearing in 11 games with one start in the ReliaQuest Bowl. As a sophomore in 2023, he played in all 12 games with 11 starts and led the Big Ten in pass breakups with 11 during the regular season. In 2024, Scott started all 13 games and recorded 49 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one forced fumble, and four interceptions while earning AP All-Big Ten First Team honors. He suffered an injury in the Week 3 game against Western Michigan on September 13, 2025, and underwent surgery on September 24, missing the final 10 games. Scott announced his return to Illinois on January 15, 2026, and holds redshirt senior status.

Illinois2022 — present