The Illinois football team named six captains for the 2021 season: Tony Adams, Owen Carney Jr., Jake Hansen, Blake Hayes, Doug Kramer, and Vederian Lowe. The captains were selected by a vote of the players.
Kramer, Hansen, and Hayes were named captains for the third consecutive year, marking the first three-time captains in Illinois program history.
Tony Adams
- Fourth-year starting defensive back
- First-time team captain
- 2021 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten fourth team
Owen Carney Jr.
- First-time team captain
- 2021 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten first team
- 2021 Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten second team
- Represented Illinois at Big Ten Media Days
Jake Hansen
- Fourth-year starting linebacker
- Three-time team captain
- 2021 Phil Steele Preseason All-American fourth team
- 2021 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten first team
- 2021 Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten second team
- 2021 PFF Preseason All-Big Ten third team
Blake Hayes
- Fifth-year starting punter
- Three-time team captain
- 2021 PFF Preseason All-Big Ten second team
- 2021 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten third team
- 2021 Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten third team
- 2019 Big Ten Punter of the Year
Doug Kramer
- Fourth-year starting center
- Three-time team captain
- 2021 PFF Preseason All-America honorable mention
- 2021 PFF Preseason All-Big Ten second team
- 2021 Rimington Award watch list
- 2021 Outland Trophy watch list
- 2021 Rotary Lombardi Award watch list
- Represented Illinois at Big Ten Media Days
Vederian Lowe
- Fifth-year starting offensive lineman
- First-time team captain
- 2021 Outland Trophy watch list
- Represented Illinois at Big Ten Media Days
