Illinois defensive back Juice Clarke has an elite mentor, in one of the best safeties in the game, Kerby Joseph. The Detroit Lions free safety led the NFL in interceptions in 2024, en route to earning first team All-Pro honors. Joseph is a former Illini, and he’s a close friend of current Illinois defensive back Jaheim “Juice” Clark.
“He’s been watching me for a couple years now, especially when I came on campus, and he’s just been motivating me through the way,” Clarke said at Big Ten Media Days.
“He sent me a text message telling me that he was watching me last season.”
Clarke then read the message from Kerby Joseph:
“Hey, bro, I want you to be locked in, all the way in this in year. This year, bro. You know, seek and destroy, separate and elevate, learn and adapt. Whatever you do, you just gotta do it.”
2024 NFL interceptions leader and 1st team All-Pro, Detroit Lions FS Kerby Joseph sent an inspirational text message to #Illini DB Juice Clarke.
He shared it with me at #B1GMediaDays
.. #FreeSafetyU #IlliniNation pic.twitter.com/S9MJKm0Rl4— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) July 28, 2026
And then shared the message exclusively to The Sports Bank. You can see a photo of it, both above and below
“So he’s been already a fan of me,” Clarke continued.
“He knows like I always had that dog in me, and he liked my energy, and it’s kind of like how he acted in the NFL. He’s got the same energy, but so you really can’t teach that energy- you just come natural.
View this post on Instagram
“If you try to fake it, people are gonna know you faking it. So just him, just having my back and just motivating me, and just seeing where he’s at, and he knows I could get to where he’s at.
“It’s a big, big step.”
The senior from Ft. Myers, Florida was an All-Big Ten honorable mention last season. Now he’s looking to level up his game, much much more. Joseph, a recruit from the Lovie Smith era, was second team All-Big Ten during Bret Bielema’s first season, in 2021.
He was selected 97th overall, in the third round, by Detroit in 2022. Lots of programs claim to be Defensive Back University, with LSU, Miami, Alabama, Notre Dame, Florida, USC and FSU among those who are always in the conversation.
The most deserving of the DBU label, however, is Ohio State. They’re #1, by a large margin all-time, seeing their defensive backs getting drafted by the NFL.
Illinois has certainly now brought themselves to this specific table.
Former Devon Witherspoon, of the Seattle Seahawks, is one of the league’s best overall cornerbacks.
Who is Free Safety University? Illinois of course
In addition to Joseph, you have Jartavius “Quan” Martin, the Washington Commanders FS1 on the depth chart. Also in the NFC East you have Sydney Brown is a part time starter for the Philadelphia Eagles.
And last year’s starter for the Illini at the position, Miles Scott was drafted in the seventh round by the Denver Broncos.
Juice Clarke says he draws inspiration from being at the same school that produced Kerby Joseph, Sydney Brown, “Spoon,” Tony Adams and more.
“I just know I’m on the verge of being one of the next best to go continue the pipeline, and it’s definitely exciting,” he said.
“But I just know I got more to work on, because it’s only my seventh year playing football.
“I just know like I haven’t scratched the surface yet, and that’s what I’m really excited about. So when I do get to my prime and my peak, it’s how good I’m gonna be?
“So just keep on growing and just taking a step day after day just to get there and just know that there was people in front of me like that who paved the way.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.