Deakon Tonielli

Class:
Junior
Position:
TE
Height:
6-5
Weight:
246
Hometown:
Oswego, Ill.
High School:
Oswego

Pronunciation

CAREER HIGHS

Receiving
• Catches: 1 - at Northwestern (Nov. 15, 2025)
• Yards: 8 - at Northwestern (Nov. 15, 2025)
• TDs: none
• Long: 8 - at Northwestern (Nov. 15, 2025)

Junior (2025)
• Made his collegiate debut contributing on special teams against New Mexico (Aug. 30)
• Played as a tight end and contributed on special teams against Central Michigan (Sept. 13)
• Contributed on special teams at Nebraska (Sept. 20), at USC (Oct. 11)
• Played as a tight end and contributed on special teams against Wisconsin (Oct. 4), at MSU (Oct. 25)
• Caught three passes totaling 38 yards against Washington (Oct. 18)
• Caught a four-yard pass playing tight end and on special teams against Purdue (Nov. 1)
• Caught an eight-yard pass to convert a third down against Northwestern at Wrigley Field (Nov. 15)
• Started at tight end at Maryland (Nov. 22) and was targeted once; also contributed on special teams
• Made a two-yard reception and also contributed on special teams against Ohio State (Nov. 29)

Sophomore (2024)
• Did not see game action
• Named Scout Team Special Teams Player of the Week for his role in preparing the teams units for Minnesota
• Named Scout Team Offensive Player of the Week for his role in preparing the defense for Michigan State

Freshman (2023)
• Did not see game action

Prep
• Attended Oswego High School (2023) coached by Brian Cooney
• The Panthers finished 3-6 in his senior season
• Helped Oswego go 6-4 with a playoff appearance his junior year
• During his sophomore year, the Panthers went 5-1 in a COVID-shortened season and won the district title
• Also lettered in basketball and track and field for the Panthers; a full-time varsity player in football and basketball as a sophomore

Key Statistics
• Caught 42 passes for 550 yards with five touchdowns during his senior campaign
• As a junior, caught 32 passes for 385 yards with two touchdowns, accounting for over 38 percent of the team’s receiving yards
• Made 25 catches for a team-high 440 yards and two touchdowns his sophomore year
• Also played defensive end, punted and snapped for Oswego; played safety early in his career and filled in as emergency quarterback during his junior year

Honors and Rankings
• Earned a 247Sports Composite ranking of four stars; the No. 390 overall player nationally, the No. 20 tight end and the No. 6 player in the state of Illinois
• Named a four-star prospect by 247Sports; the No. 19 tight end and the No. 4 player in the state of Illinois
• Rated as a four-star prospect by ESPN, the No. 33 player in the region, the No. 13 tight end nationally and the No. 6 player in the state of Illinois
• Rivals.com three-star prospect, the No. 46 tight end in the nation and the No. 10 player in Illinois
• On3.com four-star consensus prospect, the No. 378 player in the country, the No. 22 tight end in the nation and the No. 6 player in Illinois
• On3.com four-star prospect, the No. 17 tight end in the nation and the No. 3 player in Illinois
• Special Mention All-State by the Champaign News-Gazette (2022)
• All-Conference performer (2022)
• Beacon-News/Courier-News All-Area Team (2022)

Personal
• Deakon Tonielli was born Oct. 7, 2004
• Son of Saul Tonielli and Jill Bryska