Much-traveled DT Tomiwa Durojaiye (6-5 300) of Illinois will make South Carolina his fifth collegiate stop. Durojaiye announced his plans to join the Gamecocks on Saturday morning. The native of Philadelphia has also played college football for Kentucky, West Virginia, Florida State, and Illinois. Durojaiye was a teammate of former Gamecock quarterback Braden Davis, and he visited in the spring of 2021, and for an official visit that June. For the Illini in 2025, he appeared in 11 games with eight starts, and totaled 16 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors. Durojaiye is the 12th pickup for the Gamecocks out of the Portal and the second defensive tackle.
Tomiwa Durojaiye bio from Illinois
Pronunciation: Toe-me-wah durr-oh-jy-yay
2025 Junior
- All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (coach and media)
- 11 games played with eight starts
- 16 total tackles (10 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one forced fumble, three quarterback hurries, and one pass breakup
- Second on the team with 4.5 tackles for loss, and tied for second with 2.0 sacks in the regular season
- Four tackles (three solo) with 2.0 tackles for loss, including a solo sack at Wisconsin (11/22/25)
- Season-best two quarterback hurries, with one assisted tackle in win a Duke (9/6/25)
- Season-high Four solo tackles and 1.0 sack in Illini debut in Week 1 victory vs. Western Illinois (8/29/25)
- Transferred to Illinois with two seasons of eligibility
2024 Sophomore (Florida State)
- Played in four games
- Three tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss, and 1.0 sack on the season
2023 Redshirt Freshman (West Virginia)
- Played in all 13 games
- 23 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and one quarterback hurry on the season
- Second on the team in sacks (3.5)
- Career-high five tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 0.5 sack in win at TCU
2022 Freshman (Kentucky)
- Played in three games and redshirted the season
- Dean’s List (Fall 2022)
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals
- No. 42 strongside defensive end in the nation by Rivals
- Named the top recruit in the state of Delaware by Rivals
- Played for head coach Zach Blum at Middletown (Del.)
- Two-time All-State First Team
- 2021 Delaware 3A Defensive Player of the Year by the Delaware Interscholastic Football Coaches Association
- Helped Middletown to the 2021 DIAA Class 3A state championship and 2020 state runner-up finish
- 58 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two pass breakups as a senior
- 45 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks as a junior
- Honor Roll as a senior
- Offers included Michigan, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Missouri
Personal
- Son of Theresa and Bayo Durojaiye
- Father, Bayo, is from Nigeria
- Born in Philadelphia
- Three siblings
- Majoring in communication