Former Illinois football captain Dele Harding has joined the Illini as a student assistant for 2020. Harding is finishing his degree in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois this fall. 

Harding played in 39 games for Illinois from 2016-19, totaling 235 tackles, 21 TFLs, and three interceptions. He was an All-Big Ten first team selection by the media in 2019 after leading the Big Ten and ranking second in the nation in tackles per game (11.8). 

Harding was a special teams captain in 2018 and a defensive captain in 2019, as voted by his teammates. 

In his senior season, Harding led the Big Ten and ranked second in the nation in tackles per game (11.8), behind only Cal's Evan Weaver (14.0)

The Illini open their pandemic altered season Oct. 24 at Wisconsin.