Illinois Football 2025 Scouting Report: Quarterback Ethan Hampton

Illinois on SI is delivering scouting reports for each of the key players on the Illini football team's 2025 roster. Below, we present our breakdown of Illini senior quarterback Ethan Hampton. We will add more as other on-field contributors emerge during the season. Find our scouting reports of other Illinois players by searching in your favorite browser or clicking in our projected depth chart.

Ethan Hampton | Quarterback | Senior | No. 10

Hometown: Elburn, IllinoisHigh school: Aurora ChristianTransfer schools: Northern IllinoisHeight: 6-foot-3Weight: 230 pounds

Scouting report

Hampton is a steady college quarterback who can make nearly every throw. Although he won't be asked to launch 70-yard bombs or beat defenses with pure speed, he is a solid performer whose game is built on poise, good decision-making and consistency. He thrives on keeping the offense on schedule, showing comfort in moving through progressions and accurately delivering the ball where it needs to go. His ability to extend plays without panicking gives him a calm presence that elevates those around him.

Hampton is especially effective when throwing on the move, showing the ability to roll out to either side and still deliver on target. He places the ball with precision, often hitting his receivers in stride and between the numbers, which allows them to create yards after the catch. Just as important, he reads defenses quickly and reacts decisively, rarely hesitating when opportunities present themselves. That combination of accuracy, timing and composure makes him a quarterback who can optimize an offense's efficiency and productivity, even if he isn’t built on flash or raw physical tools.

Experience

Hampton committed to Northern Illinois out of high school and spent his first year on campus redshirting while adjusting to the college game. As a redshirt freshman, he earned the starting job and showed promise in three starts before an injury cut his season short. He worked his way back into form in a year later, appearing in four games as a backup while continuing his recovery.

His true breakout came in 2024, when he started 10 games and established himself as the leader of the Huskies’ offense. That season was highlighted by one of the most stunning upsets in college football history, as Hampton guided NIU to a 16-15 victory at Notre Dame in Week 2. Facing the eventual national runner-up on the road, he helped engineer a performance that shocked the college football world and elevated the Huskies (and himself) to the national stage.

Media highlights