Junior safety on Ohio's 2026 roster.
6′1″ · 198 lb · Aliquippa, PA · Aliquippa
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.
How he projects
Moves between deep coverage and the slot.
Grades highest in play recognition and speed.
The full scouting readRecruiting
S recruit
No. 2529 nationally · Signed with Ohio
Last played in 2026.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Junior safety on Ohio's 2026 roster.
DJ Walker
Moves between deep coverage and the slot. Four seasons at Ohio, three different head coaches: Tim Albin, Brian Smith and John Hauser. In 2024 the league put his name on paper for the first time: All-MAC. The receipt on tape: 9 tackles, 3 TFL against South Alabama, Week 3, 2026.
20 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
The role got bigger.
Career arc
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-MAC · 2ND TEAM
All-MAC 2nd team (2024)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Tim Albin, Brian Smith, and John Hauser. Multi-era developmental context.
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 21-49@ Nebraska | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 2 | W 29-27vs Jacksonville State | 9 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Wk 3 | L 36-41@ South Alabama | 9 | 3 | 3.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | 3.0 TFL |
| Total | 20 | 12 | 3.0 | 0.0 | — | 2 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 29–27
9 tackles · 7 solo tackles · 1 fumble recoveries
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 2 at home.
With D. James-Hamilton — 3 tackles · 1 solo tackles · 1 defensive TD · M. Vezza — 80 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 53.9 · 67 rush yds (12 car)
Since week 2: +1 pass breakup, +9 tackles, +3 tackles for loss.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: passes defended (92nd percentile). Strength: tackles for loss (91st percentile).
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.
Defender profile · Production by role
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
PD rate
10%2 pass breakupsTackle volume
20tackles this seasonTFL rate
15%3 TFL20 tackles · 3 for loss · 2 pass breakups.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 9.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 5.5 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 6.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
John Hauser
Pass share
43.4%
82 pass / 107 run
Plays / game
63.0
3 games
Team sack rate
7.6%
92 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Player standing · 2026
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Recognition
2026 outlook
Outside shot to repeat All-MAC
Based on 2025: #11 of 23 Mid-American Ss
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. 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.
Play style
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CFB Index positional classification
Player DNA
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Elijah Riley’s 2018 season.
Matches Elijah on
Differs from Elijah on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Dylan Smith's senior season at Memphis (2026).
Matches Dylan on
Differs from Dylan on
2025: Started all 13 games for Ohio…one of two defensive team captains... recorded 61 tackles, including 37 solo stops and 6 tackles for a loss…tallied two interceptions and one pass breakup…his first interception came against Bowling Green (Sept. 27) and his second against UNLV in the Scooters…
27 more on the roster · Ohio team page