Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 40-0vs Northern Illinois | 4 | 42 | 10.5 | 0 | 16 | Season-high 42 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 16-13vs Iowa State | 2 | 25 | 12.5 | 0 | 13 | |
| Total | 6 | 67 | 11.5 | 0 | 16 |
#81
DJ Vonnahme
Junior tight end for Iowa. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 241 lb · Breda, IA · Kuemper Catholic
CFB Index 61 · #36 of 156 TEsMedium-low confidenceReturning to Iowa 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 numbers
67
receiving yards · 2026
6 catches · 11.2 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far -- Backed by 7 rec · 146 yds · 1 TD -- top 1% receiving yards game. -- Best game: 4 rec, 42 yds, vs Northern Illinois
Swing playSwung Iowa from 32% to 56% to win.Oregon at Iowa · 18-16
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 tight end for Iowa. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 2-star recruit to Iowa in 2024.
DJ Vonnahme
Creates mismatches lined up all over the formation. 2 stars out of high school, two seasons of real snaps at Iowa since. The receipt: 42 rec yds, 4 receptions against Northern Illinois — Week 1, 2026.
67 REC YDS · 6 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- recruiting profile
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Iowa2-star out of Kuemper Catholic
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★
CFB
College
Iowa
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Kirk Ferentz — 11-4 over that span.
2025Iowa9-4HC: Kirk Ferentz · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2026Iowa2-0HC: Kirk Ferentz · Balanced
Where this profile ranks vs the TE cohort
Box-score percentiles
Medium-low confidence
Concern: rec yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.0 REC/g, 33.5 YDS/g, 11.5 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Kirk Ferentz
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.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #5 of 26 Big Ten TEs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
35% estimated, 95% confidence interval 31–38%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 16–13
vs Iowa State
2 rush yds (1 car)
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 3 at home.
With B. Everitt — 44 AVG · 4 IN 20 · 51 LONG · H. Brown — 191 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 34.2 · 22 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Lined up out wide as often as inline. Creates mismatches downfield.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Iowa
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Tight end · Iowa
Returning around him
- 34% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
- 7 Iowa players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +7 net (15 in / 8 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Iowa · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #44 · 2026 recruiting class #26
DNA match
Player DNA
Move TE
Lined up out wide as often as inline. Creates mismatches downfield.
TE
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Ben Sinnott’s 2022 season.
72%match
All-Big 12NFL Rd 2 · Pk 21
Matches Ben on
Weight
Class year
Yards / reception
Differs from Ben on
EPA / play (adj) (higher)
Total EPA (college ability) (higher)
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Jermaine Terry II’s path through Oregon State.
83%match
Matches Jermaine on
Height
Yards per reception
Weight
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Mason Mini's freshman season at California (2025).
71%match
Matches Mason on
Total EPA (college ability)
Reception volume
EPA / play (adj)
Differs from Mason on
Yards / reception (higher)
Class year (lower)
The tight end room · Iowa
- #81DJ Vonnahme434 receiving yards · 2025
- #48Zach Ortwerth76 receiving yards · 2025
- #87Addison Ostrenga8 receiving yards · 2025
- #80Michael Burtno box-score line yet
- #82Dylan Steckerno box-score line yet
4 more on the roster · Iowa team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology