cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / DeJuan Echoles /Ball State

DeJuan Echoles

LB · Ball State · Jr · #31

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

27 TACKLES · 4 SACKS

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Ball State for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Ball State for 2026

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Linebacker · Ball State

Returning around him

  • 8% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
  • Transfer portal: +6 net (24 in / 18 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Ball State · Last season: 4-8 · Talent rank #115 · 2026 recruiting class #119

LB · BALL STATE · MID-AMERICAN

DeJuan Echoles

  • 3
  • #31
  • 6-1 | 229 lb
  • Indianapolis, IN

CFB Zeitgeist Score

71

Solid starter in the position cohort. Carried by sacks at the 93rd percentile.

Heisman Heat

#15461

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP LB AWARD

Butkus

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 1 · 2-deep

R04 · Rotational

Rotational. Earning real snaps in the rotation.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★
#2227 national
CFB
College
Ball State
2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionLB
Class3
Jersey31
Measurements6-1 | 229 lb
HometownIndianapolis, IN
Primary teamBall State

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree 2-star No. 2227 recruit
Composite rating 0.7556 HighSchool
Signed with Ball State 2022
Origin Warren Central Indianapolis, IN, USA
Class Profile Context
2022 2-star | 0.7556 No. 2227 recruit | HighSchool | Ball State

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 0 No portal entry on file
Latest destination -- --
Transfer stars -- CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility -- Transfer date TBD
Season Move Context
No transfer portal moves on file for this player.

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#15461Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#15584Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

No achievements unlocked yet this season.

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft

Market value, pedigree & pro outcome

Recruit stars

★★☆☆☆

to Ball State

Composite

0.7556

#2227 national

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on DeJuan Echoles

Fan sentiment · Awaiting signal

The Room reads fan conversation around a player — who’s talking, what they believe, and how that shifts. It publishes once weekly volume rebuilds; for most players that’s in-season, when game-week chatter spikes.

Cohort divergence map

Cohort divergence reads how different fanbases talk about this player. Returns once weekly mentions clear the publish floor.

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about DeJuan Echoles

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the defensive totals stand

projecting to 13-game
Through 10g
27Tackles
6Tackles for loss
4Sacks
Per game
3Tackles
0.6Tackles for loss
0.4Sacks
Projected (13g)
35Tackles
7.8Tackles for loss
5.2Sacks

To hit 80-tackle season (currently 27): needs 17.7/game over remaining 3.

To hit 100-tackle season (currently 27): needs 24.3/game over remaining 3.

To hit 6-sack season (currently 4): needs 0.7/game over remaining 3.

To hit 10-sack season (currently 4): needs 2/game over remaining 3.

Why this is a rare defensive case

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

DeJuan Echoles is trying to climb the steepest award hill in college football: a defensive candidacy. The hook is the disruption profile on Ball State's defense, with 4.0 sacks, 6.0 tackles for loss, and -- interceptions through the current loaded season. For a defender, the question is never just production; it is whether elite disruption and team context can become nationally undeniable.

Current place #15461 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load -- Role share still loading
Profile quirk Defensive rarity 4.0 sacks | 6.0 TFL

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

DEF season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Total tackles 27 10 solo | #1543/4942 (69th pct)
TFL 6.0 Backfield disruption | #406/4972 (92nd pct)
Sacks 4.0 Pass-rush finish | #169/4972 (97th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

High-disruption defender against FBS defenders.

High-disruption defender

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Tackling & Disruption

TOT
27 69th
SOLO
10 56th
TFL
6.0 92nd
SACK
4.0 97th
QBH
2 66th

Coverage & Takeaways

PD
2 64th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 10 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppTKLSOLOTFLSACKINTPDNote
Wk 1L 0-31@ Purdue200.00.00
Wk 2L 3-42@ Auburn333.02.002 sacks
Wk 3W 34-29vs New Hampshire631.51.01Season-high 6 tackles
Wk 4L 25-31@ UConn100.00.00
Wk 8W 42-28vs Akron300.00.00
Wk 9L 7-21@ Northern Illinois300.00.00
Wk 11W 17-13vs Kent State320.00.01
Wk 12L 9-24vs Eastern Michigan200.00.00
Wk 13L 9-38@ Toledo211.51.00
Wk 14L 24-45@ Miami (OH)210.00.00
Total27106.04.02
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2025Ball State4-8HC: Mike Uremovich · Run-heavy, slow tempo
SeasonTeam
2025Ball State27106.04.02----
Career1 loaded season27106.04.02----
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Disruption stats

TFL, sacks, and QB hurries are grouped together because defensive Heisman cases are usually built on visible havoc, not on tackle counts alone.

Coverage splash

Pass breakups, interceptions, and forced fumbles matter because national awards voters respond to plays that change possessions and highlight reels.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

INT -- -- pick-six TD
Pass breakups 2 Coverage disruption | #792/2184 (64th pct)
QB pressures 2 Quarterback hurries | #647/1878 (66th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Defense Total tackles 27 #1543/4942 69th pct Volumevs FBS DEF
Defense TFL 6.0 #406/4972 92nd pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Sacks 4.0 #169/4972 97th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Pass breakups 2 #792/2184 64th pct Coveragevs FBS DEF
Defense QB hurries 2 #647/1878 66th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Solo tackles 10 #1996/4584 56th pct Volumevs FBS DEF

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

The Butkus award tracker integrates per-week probability once a dedicated scraper for this award lands. Confirmed past winners and finalists for this player will surface here.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 10 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Home4g3.50.40.20.5
Road6g2.20.80.50.0

Win vs Loss

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Wins3g4.00.50.30.7
Losses7g2.10.60.40.0

First half vs Second half

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Weeks 1-74g3.01.10.80.2
Weeks 8+6g2.50.20.20.2

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the LB cohort

71Solid starter
6 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: sacks (93rd). Strength: tackles for loss (85th).

Sacks#169 / 2975 · 93rd pct
4.0defe
Tackles for loss#406 / 2975 · 85th pct
6.0defe
QB hurries#634 / 2975 · 72nd pct
2defe
Passes defended#777 / 2975 · 67th pct
2defe
Tackles#1543 / 2975 · 47th pct
27defe
Solo tackles#1996 / 2975 · 31st pct
10defe

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Advanced Savant · LB · 2024

Percentile Card

Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

Advanced opponent-adjusted metrics are coming soon for this player. Selected cohort: P4.

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 6 metrics
DeJuan EcholesBall StateTreylin PayneTexas State· 66% simRasheem BilesPittsburgh· 66% simRay ConeyTulsa· 66% sim
Sacks
93
Echoles
80
Payne
95
Biles
80
Coney
Tackles for loss
85
Echoles
87
Payne
100
Biles
90
Coney
QB hurries
72
Echoles
82
Payne
88
Biles
88
Coney
Passes defended
67
Echoles
67
Payne
86
Biles
67
Coney
Tackles
47
Echoles
98
Payne
98
Biles
100
Coney
Solo tackles
31
Echoles
95
Payne
91
Biles
93
Coney

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Coverage 'Backer

Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.

LB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Derek Wingo’s 2023 season.

Derek Wingo

78%match

Florida · 2023

#2

Braden Siders

Wyoming · 2023

72%
#3

Chase Kennedy

Arizona · 2024

65%
#4

Isaiah Nixon

Sam Houston · 2023

64%
#5

Justin Whiteside

Central Michigan · 2021

62%

Matches Derek on

Tackle volume
TFL rate
Sack rate

Differs from Derek on

PD rate (higher)

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Braden Siders's sophomore season at Wyoming (2023).

Braden Siders

74%match

Wyoming · 2023

#2

Nick Booker-Brown

UTSA · 2022

72%
#3

Jeff Pietrowski

Michigan State · 2021

71%
#4

Justin Ellis

Georgia Southern · 2021

All-Sun Belt
71%
#5

Chase Kennedy

Arizona · 2024

71%

Matches Braden on

Tackle volume
Weight
TFL rate

Differs from Braden on

Class year (lower)

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Mike Uremovich

Pass share

38.2%

277 pass / 449 run

Plays / game

60.5

12 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

19.6%

265 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-heavy, slow tempo.

Coaching Lineage · 2025

1 coach
2025
Mike Uremovich
Ball State

Played his entire career under Mike Uremovich.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownIndianapolis, IN
Height6'1"
Weight229 lb
Class3
PositionLB
Jersey31

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

No formal honors on the ledger yet

All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned.

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Ball State LB3 #15461 #15584 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | Mid-American
2023 Ball State LB3 #13557 #13478 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | Mid-American
2022 Ball State LB3 #13719 #13630 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | Mid-American

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Ball State Mid-American LB 3 No. 31 | 6-1 | 229 lb | Indianapolis, IN
2024 Ball State Mid-American LB 3 No. 31 | 6-1 | 229 lb | Indianapolis, IN
2023 Ball State Mid-American LB 3 No. 31 | 6-1 | 229 lb | Indianapolis, IN
2022 Ball State Mid-American LB 3 No. 31 | 6-1 | 229 lb | Indianapolis, IN