Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 45-24@ California | 4 | 3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 28-10vs San Diego State | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Total | 7 | 3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 1 |
#32
DJ Barksdale
Senior defensive back on UCLA's 2026 roster.
5′8″ · 181 lb · Rock Hill, SC
CFB Index 83 · #31 of 364 cornersLow confidenceTransferred James Madison → UCLA for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The story
Senior defensive back on UCLA's 2026 roster.
- Signed with James Madison in 2023.
- Transferred from James Madison to UCLA in 2026.
Recruiting
--
CB recruit
Signed with James Madison
Last played in 2026.
His career numbers, season by seasonDJ Barksdale
Moves between deep coverage and the slot. DJ Barksdale has played for two head coaches across four seasons and two programs. His first career honor landed in 2025: All-Sun Belt. One game to point at: 4 tackles, 1 sacks against California — Week 1, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
20239 games
- Signed with James Madisonout of South Pointe
202514 games
- All-Sun Beltthird
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-SUN BELT
All-Sun Belt mention (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
4 coachesPlayed under 4 different head coaches: Chip Kelly, Deshaun Foster, Tim Skipper, and Bob Chesney. Multi-era developmental context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to UCLA
2025James Madison
2026UCLA
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UCLA | 7 | 3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | James Madison | 36 | 22 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 12 | 2 | -- |
| 2024 | James Madison | 42 | 27 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 2 | 2 | -- |
| 2023 | James Madison | 15 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 100 | 59 | 9.0 | 2.0 | 15 | 4 | -- |
Game log
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 45–24
at California
1 sacks · 1 tackles for loss · 4 tackles
Dominant 21-point win on the road against California.
With C. Gerrand — 43 yards per punt · 5 punts · 3 inside the 20 · W. Knight — 71 rush yds (8 car) · 3 TD
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023James Madison11-2HC: Damian Wroblewski · Balanced
2024James Madison9-4HC: Bob Chesney · Run-leaning
2025James Madison12-2HC: Bob Chesney · Run-heavy
2026UCLA3-0HC: Bob Chesney · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low confidenceSustained Ascent
Elite: sacks (84th percentile). 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 2 games: 3.5 TKL/g, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.5 SACK/g, 0.5 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bob Chesney
Pass share
39.0%
76 pass / 119 run
Plays / game
65.0
3 games
Team sack rate
5.7%
87 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-heavy.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
How he plays
Play style
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Hybrid Nickel
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jadon Canady’s 2024 season.
65%match
NFL Rd 4
Matches Jadon on
Weight
PD rate
TFL rate
Differs from Jadon on
Height (lower)
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Kris Abrams-Draine's junior season at Missouri (2022).
68%match
1st-team All-AmericanNFL Rd 5
Matches Kris on
Weight
PD rate
Tackle volume
Differs from Kris on
Height (lower)
TFL rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like DJ Barksdale
The secondary · UCLA
- #4Cole Martin65 tackles · 2025
- #6Tao Johnson50 tackles · 2025
- #1Scooter Jackson44 tackles · 2025
- #32DJ Barksdale36 tackles · 2025
- #2Rodrick Pleasant36 tackles · 2025
18 more on the roster · UCLA team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology