One of the most dominant defensive line tandems in college football looks to deliver their closing statement this season.

In January, Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton and Keith Randolph Jr. informed their coaches at Illinois the “Law Firm” would be returning. The best friends, who got their nickname from head coach Bret Bielema based on their last names, forged a relationship rooted in their shared NFL dreams. And after the 2022 regular season ended with disappointing conference defeats and a loss to Mississippi State in the ReliaQuest Bowl, they’re back for some unfinished business both on and off the field.

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“I came back to prove I could be a first-round draft pick, showcase my talents and for my team,” Newton told the Tribune.

“I feel like we had a lot to lose last year on the back end. We could have been places like the College Football Playoffs or Rose Bowl or just minimum, the Big Ten championship. I’ve always got high aspirations for my team and we came up short of those goals. So this year, I want to achieve that.”

After spending just a few minutes with the pair, you can feel their energy playing off one another. Randolph divulges that on game days, Newton starts his day by listening to Disney soundtracks.

“Let’s say we got a night game at eight o’clock,” Randolph says of his game-day roommate. “It’ll be six in the morning. (Newton) will be up listening to songs from “Lion King,” “Moana,” “Aladdin” … name the Disney movie.”

They break out singing a small part of “How Far I’ll Go” from “Moana” before cracking up laughing and playfully shoving one another.

“I’ve just gotta be the best me,” Newton says with a smile.

The duo feels their chemistry as friends helps them on the field and makes it easier to communicate without words. They can just look at each other and know what to do.

“It’s a trust thing on the football field. If you don’t trust the person next to you, you feel like you’re gonna have to do his job and your job at the same time,” Newton said.

“That friendship and that connection means I don’t have to look over and check him or snap on him because he’s not doing his job. I know he’s doing his job the same way as I’m doing my job and we execute at a high level. We both just have faith in each other.”

Entering his fourth year, Newton, who was named a preseason All-American by several outlets, is the No. 8 ranked player in Pro Football Focus’ preseason rankings. With 13 tackles for loss last season, he is tied for the most among FBS defensive tackles, and his 59 pressures led all interior defensive linemen in Power Five conferences.

Newton, the fourth of five football-playing brothers from St. Petersburg, Fla., would be the first in the family to go pro — he’s now a projected top 20 pick in 2024.

Randolph, who hails from Belleville, is in his fifth year of eligibility and has been named to the Outland Trophy and Nagurski Trophy watch lists and is a preseason third-team All-American. In 2022, he tallied 13 tackles for loss (tied with Newton for second in Big Ten) and 4.5 sacks.

Despite losing key players on defense to the NFL like Devon Witherspoon (No. 5 overall, Seattle Seahawks), Jartavious Martin (No. 47, Washington Commanders) and Sydney Brown (No. 66, Philadelphia Eagles), the friends say fans can look forward to another dominant season because they’re motivated to not “make the same mistakes.”

“We lost four out of our last five games. I don’t think we need much more motivation than that,” Randolph said. “We were ranked at one point in the season. We didn’t finish how we wanted to finish. So that motivates us because I feel like every game we lost, we were one play away.”

He and Newton both say they worked on becoming better leaders in the offseason since younger players look to them to set an example and to help them understand the game better.

Co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Terrance Jamison agrees.

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“(They bring) a lot of production from the past two seasons, a lot of experience,” he said. “The way they conduct themselves on and off the field, academically, in the community and their habits … it’s been great to get them back.”

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Newton says the best piece of advice Randolph has given him is “just be the best you everyday” and Randolph says Newton asks him “do you want to be a man or a mouse?” to get him going.

As they prepare for the season ahead, Randolph says the Illini want to be “the toughest, smartest and most dependable team out there on the field” — a goal they’re working toward daily.

The season starts Sept. 2 at home against reigning MAC champion Toledo, a team that features wide receiver Jerjuan Newton, Johnny Newton’s older brother. It’s a matchup Johnny has had circled on his calendar — not just because of his brother, though beating Jerjuan and the Rockets is high up there. But because Johnny says the Illini want to set the tone early.

“We’ve got a lot of people on our side that are hungry. A lot of the young guys that are gonna step into big roles,” he said.

“A lot of new starters, a lot of new faces on defense and I honestly feel like this year’s defense could be better than last year. We’ve got a lot of returning guys up front. Just a lot of knowledge. I just feel like the best is to come.”