Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 3-56@ Ohio State | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 | |
| Wk 2 | W 41-17vs Stony Brook | 4 | 40 | 10.0 | 0 | 13 | Season-high 40 yds |
| Total | 5 | 51 | 10.5 | 0 | 13 |
#1
Donovan Hamilton
Sophomore wide receiver for Ball State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 217 lb · Fishers, IN · Hamilton Southeastern HS
Returning to Ball State for 2026
The numbers
51
receiving yards · 2026
5 catches · 10.2 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 4 rec, 40 yds, vs Stony Brook
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 wide receiver for Ball State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Purdue in 2024.
- Transferred from Purdue to Ball State in 2025.
Donovan Hamilton
Moves the chains on third down. Purdue to Ball State — the move that set up everything since. One game to point at: 40 rec yds, 4 receptions against Stony Brook — Week 2, 2026.
51 REC YDS · 5 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- portal record
- game log
His career
The week the volume broke through — put up 72 yds at Miami (OH).Miami (OH) · L 24-452025
2024
- Signed with Purdue3-star out of Hamilton Southeastern
20257 games
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Ball State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Mike Uremovich — 5-9 over that span.
2025Ball State4-8HC: Mike Uremovich · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2026Ball State1-1HC: Mike Uremovich · Pass-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
Box-score percentiles
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: 2.5 REC/g, 25.5 YDS/g, 10.5 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Mike Uremovich
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 | Ball State | 5 | 51 | 10.2 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Ball State | 20 | 244 | 12.2 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 25 | 295 | 11.8 | 0 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 41–17
vs Stony Brook
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Ball State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Wide receiver · Ball State
Returning around him
- 6% 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 #113 · 2026 recruiting class #113
DNA match
Player DNA
Possession Receiver
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
WR
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Daejon Reynolds’s 2023 season.
Matches Daejon on
Total EPA (college ability)
Height
Weight
Differs from Daejon on
Recruiting rating (lower)
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Jalen McDonald’s path through Merrimack.
Jalen McDonald
95%match
#5
Joshua Harris
93%
Matches Jalen on
Yards per reception
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Eddie Freauff's freshman season at Oregon State (2025).
Matches Eddie on
Weight
Total EPA (college ability)
Yards / reception
Differs from Eddie on
TD rate (lower)
Background
Awards and Honors: 2026 Preseason All-MAC (fourth team WR by Athlon Sports; fourth team WR by Phil Steele Football College Preview) Preseason all-conference honoree is regarded as the Cardinals' top returning receiver, following a freshman campaign with 20 catches for 244 yards ... emerged as a b...
The receiver room · Ball State
- #1Donovan Hamilton244 receiving yards · 2025
- #5Jabari Smith166 receiving yards · 2025
- #10Jamarion McDougle43 receiving yards · 2025
- #14Elisha Durham26 receiving yards · 2025
- #11Isaiah Thacker14 receiving yards · 2025
8 more on the roster · Ball State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology