Linebacker, Illinois State, 2025–26
Dexter Niekamp
- Number
- No. 44
- Height
- 6′3″
- Weight
- 250 lb
- Class (2026)
- Junior
- Hometown
- Normal, IL
Dexter Niekamp plays linebacker for Illinois State. Last time out, at Southern Illinois: 3 tackles. Niekamp leads Illinois State in interceptions this season.
2026 so far
23 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT
Last game: 3 tackles at Southern Illinois, W 35–14
Next game: vs. Indiana State, Oct 24
Filled bars: wins; outlined: losses.
Defense
* The season in progress, so far.
| Season | Team | Tkl | Solo | TFL | Sacks | Int | PD | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Illinois State | 12 | 7 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2026 | Illinois State | 23 | 5 | 2.5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Career | 35 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |
Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.
On the roster
| Season | Team | No. | Pos | Class | Ht | Wt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Illinois State | 44 | LB | So. | ||
| 2026 | Illinois State | 44 | LB | Jr. | 6′3″ | 250 |
As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.
Game by game
2026 Illinois State 6 games, 23 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT
| Date | Opponent | Result | Tkl | Solo | TFL | Sacks | Int | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5 | at Western Illinois | W 41–10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Sep 12 | at Northern Illinois | W 28–24 | 5 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 19 | vs. Eastern Illinois | W 49–13 | 3 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 26 | at Northern Iowa | L 21–28 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 3 | vs. South Dakota State | L 14–31 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Oct 17 | at Southern Illinois | W 35–14 | 3 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
No box score in the source for Aug 29 vs. St. Francis (IL), so that game is not listed.
2025 Illinois State 5 games, 12 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT
| Date | Opponent | Result | Tkl | Solo | TFL | Sacks | Int | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30 | at Oklahoma | L 3–35 | 5 | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 15 | atSouth Dakota State | W 35–21 | – | – | – | – | 1 | – |
| Dec 13 | at UC Davis | W 42–31 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 20 ✦ | at Villanova | W 30–14 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 5 ✦ | vs. Montana State | L 34–35 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.
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