Southern Illinois lands College of DuPage defensive back Brandon Redmond

Southern Illinois added a defensive back built for the grind of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, landing College of DuPage product Brandon Redmond as a win-now piece for a secondary that needs more proven answers. Redmond chose SIU after his offer came April 13 following a conversation with cornerbacks coach Eriq Moore, then a spring-game weekend visit and time with Nick Hill helped seal the fit. He picked the Salukis over East Texas A&M and several Division II options because he saw a chance to play in the MVFC and step into a program with a winning standard.

Redmond arrives with the kind of résumé that travels well. He played in all 10 games for College of DuPage in 2025, finished with nine tackles, an interception against Rochester and a quarterback hurry, and split time between corner and safety. For a Southern Illinois defense that finished sixth in the MVFC in total defense at 395.1 yards allowed per game, that kind of interchangeable production matters. The Salukis do not need another developmental flyer. They need players who can handle multiple jobs, and Redmond has already done that on a championship roster.

The championship piece is the first thing that jumps off the page. College of DuPage went 8-2 and closed the year with a 36-13 win over North Dakota State College of Science in the Red Grange Bowl, finishing its fifth straight NJCAA Division III national championship run. Redmond was part of that team, and the Chaparrals’ track record of winning is exactly the sort of backdrop that usually sharpens a defensive back’s habits. He was also a 2024 graduate of Batavia High School, where he played cornerback and wide receiver, and the roster lists him as a former basketball player who handled both guard spots before football became his full-time path.

That late start is part of what makes the move more interesting. Redmond did not begin football until his junior year of high school, yet he still climbed into a championship program and earned a role on the field. Southern Illinois has spent the last five seasons reaching the FCS playoffs three times, and Hill’s program has now doubled down on continuity with a four-year extension through 2029. With Moore in place after helping Missouri Western State reach the Division II playoffs in 2023, the Salukis are clearly targeting experienced defensive backs who can help them close the gap in one of the deepest conferences in FCS football. Redmond fits that mission immediately.