Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 70-7vs Mercyhurst | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#11
C.J. Johnson
Junior linebacker for New Mexico. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 215 lb · Houston, TX
Returning to New Mexico for 2026
The numbers
1
tackle · 2026
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Mercyhurst
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for New Mexico. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Auburn in 2023.
- 1 tackle in 2025. Then 1 in 2026.
C.J. Johnson
This is his second year in the same linebacker corps at New Mexico. In 2022 the league put his name on paper for the first time: All-AAC. One game to point at: 1 tackles against Mercyhurst — Week 2, 2026.
1 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
2022
- All-AACsecond
2023
- Signed with Auburn3-star out of Katy Paetow
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
New Mexico
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Jason Eck — 11-4 over that span.
2025New Mexico9-4HC: Jason Eck · Run-leaning
2026New Mexico2-0HC: Jason Eck · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 1.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Jason Eck
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | New Mexico | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | New Mexico | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 70–7
vs Mercyhurst
1 TOT
Dominant 63-point win at home against Mercyhurst.
With C. Steinkamp — 59 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 76 LONG · M. Kern — 38 AVG · 3 IN 20 · 39 LONG
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
New Mexico
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · New Mexico
Returning around him
- 1 New Mexico player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +0 net (14 in / 14 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
New Mexico · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #112 · 2026 recruiting class #87
The linebacker corps · New Mexico
- #6Jaxton Eck128 tackles · 2025
- #2Mercury Swaim52 tackles · 2025
- #48Jayden Flaker15 tackles · 2025
- #11C.J. Johnson1 tackle · 2025
- #18Clay Martineau1 tackle · 2025
5 more on the roster · New Mexico team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology