Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CMP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | YPA | QBR | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 0-57@ South Carolina | 12/20 | 63 | 0 | 0 | 3.2 | — | |
| Wk 2 | W 36-15vs Wofford | 16/25 | 248 | 1 | 2 | 9.9 | 67.4 | Season-high 248 yds |
| Total | 28/45 | 311 | 1 | 2 | 6.6 | 67.4 |
#12
Dru DeShields
Junior quarterback for Kent State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 195 lb · Beloit, OH · West Branch HS
CFB Index 45 · #79 of 146 QBsHigh confidenceReturning to Kent State 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
311
passing yards · 2026
1 TD · 2 INT · 6.9 per attempt
2 games into 2026 so far -- Backed by 317 yds · 5 TD -- top 1% passing TDs game. -- Best game: 248 pass yds, 1 TD, 2 INT, vs Wofford
The play that turned itSwung Kent State from 46% to 89% to win.Buffalo at Kent State · 31-28
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 quarterback for Kent State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kent State in 2023.
Aura™ · Him Watch
Underrated
-71aura tax
Fans rank this player in the 4th percentile of QBs; the tape says
75th pctl our passing-value metric (wEPA) QBs · 160 qualified, n=8
— the tape outruns the hype.Aura — fan perception4th pctl
Production — on-field75th pctl
n=8 mentions · cohort: QBs · 160 qualified · perception = conversation volume, production = our passing-value metric (wEPA)
Buzz vs Tape
Attention percentile: 4th · Production percentile: 75th
His production sits in the 75th percentile among qualified QBs this season, well ahead of 4th-percentile attention — a gap of 71 points between tape and volume.
4thattention percentile · vs QBs
75thproduction percentile · vs QBs
Dru DeShields
Pushes it downfield on every look. Second year in the Kent State quarterback room, same address the whole way. In 2025 the league put his name on paper for the first time: MAC Offensive Player of the Week. One game to point at: 248 pass yds, 74 rush yds against Wofford — Week 2, 2026.
311 PASS YDS · 1 PASS TD · 101 RUSH YDS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- recognition record
- game log
His career
He was winning awards before he was old enough to be a story.
2023
- Signed with Kent State3-star out of West Branch
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Kent State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Mark Carney, all run-leaning, slow tempo offenses — 6-8 over that span.
2025Kent State5-7HC: Mark Carney · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2026Kent State1-1HC: Mark Carney · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the QB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: rush tds (88th percentile). Strength: rush yards (85th percentile). Concern: pass yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (7)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 156 YDS/g, 0.5 TD/g, 6.6 YPA, 1.0 INT/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Mark Carney
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-MAC
Based on 2025: #5 of 12 Mid-American QBs
How the All-MAC 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
| Season | Team | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kent State | 28 | 45 | 62.2% | 311 | 6.9 | 1 | 2 | 118.7 | 45 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Kent State | 136 | 240 | 56.7% | 2,030 | 8.5 | 18 | 3 | 150.0 | 60 | -- | -- |
| Career | 164 | 285 | 57.5% | 2,341 | 8.2 | 19 | 5 | 145.0 | 58 | -- | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kent State | 13 | 101 | 7.8 | 2 | -- |
| 2025 | Kent State | 61 | 38 | 0.6 | 3 | -- |
| Career | 74 | 139 | 1.9 | 5 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 36–15
vs Wofford
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Wofford · 3&7 · Q3 · EPA +4.42(00:48) No Huddle-Shotgun #12 D.DeShields pass complete deep right to #6 W.Harris caught at KSU40, for 58 yards to the WOF24 (#15 K.Murphy; #2 M.Marcellus), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Wofford · 3&8 · Q4 · EPA +3.88(11:27) No Huddle-Shotgun #12 D.DeShields pass complete deep right to #8 D.Clark caught at WOF33, for 33 yards to the WOF33, End Of Play, 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Wofford · 3&2 · Q1 · EPA +3.47(12:52) No Huddle-Shotgun #12 D.DeShields pass complete deep middle to #8 D.Clark caught at WOF28, for 40 yards to the WOF25 (#3 J.Luster), 1ST DOWN
- Week 2 · Wofford · 3&7 · Q3 · EPA -3.18(12:53) No Huddle-Shotgun #12 D.DeShields pass intercepted by #12 J.Tinch at WOF19 #12 J.Tinch return 1 yard to the WOF20 (#50 B.Midea)
- Week 2 · Wofford · 3&10 · Q1 · EPA +3.14(10:29) No Huddle-Shotgun #12 D.DeShields rush middle for 12 yards gain to the WOF00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 10:23, 1ST DOWN #96 S.Leonard kick attempt good (H: #42 K.Ford, LS: #41 G.Goodell)
- Week 2 · Wofford · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA +2.62(08:32) No Huddle-Shotgun #12 D.DeShields rush middle for 20 yards gain to the WOF00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 08:27, 1ST DOWN #96 S.Leonard kick attempt good (H: #42 K.Ford, LS: #41 G.Goodell)
- Week 2 · Wofford · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA +2.51(04:18) No Huddle-Shotgun #12 D.DeShields pass complete short right to #6 W.Harris caught at WOF00, for 10 yards to the WOF00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 04:16, 1ST DOWN #96 S.Leonard kick attempt good (H: #42 K.Ford, LS: #41 G.Goodell)
- Week 2 · Wofford · 2&7 · Q1 · EPA +2.50(02:41) No Huddle-Shotgun #12 D.DeShields pass complete deep right to #89 T.Mulder caught at WOF45, for 21 yards to the WOF45 QB hurried by #39 T.Donnelly, End Of Play, 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · South Carolina · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +2.31(10:58) Shotgun #12 D.DeShields rush right for 26 yards gain to the USC46 (#8 J.Collier), out of bounds, 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · South Carolina · 3&7 · Q2 · EPA +2.08(01:01) Shotgun #12 D.DeShields pass complete short right to #89 T.Mulder caught at KSU24, for 11 yards to the KSU39 (#9 D.Bucey; #40 A.Addison), 1ST DOWN
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Elite arm talent, pushing downfield. Completion rate is the variable.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Kent State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Quarterback · Kent State
Returning around him
- 64% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- Transfer portal: -4 net (11 in / 15 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Kent State · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #130 · 2026 recruiting class #122
DNA match
Player DNA
Vertical Passer
Elite arm talent, pushing downfield. Completion rate is the variable.
QB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Keyone Jenkins’s 2024 season.
54%match
Matches Keyone on
Yards / attempt
Total pass EPA (college ability)
Differs from Keyone on
Height (higher)
INT rate (lower)
Completion % (lower)
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Colton Joseph’s path through Old Dominion.
76%match
All-Sun Belt
Matches Colton on
Height
Recruiting rating
Yards per attempt
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Kirk Francis's freshman season at Tulsa (2023).
56%match
Differs from Kirk on
TD rate (higher)
EPA / dropback (adj) (lower)
Weight (lower)
Background
2026 (R-Junior) Phil Steele Preseason All-MAC Second Team Athlon Sports Preseason All-MAC Second Team Pro Football Network Preseason All-MAC Third Team 2025 (R-Sophomore) Academic All-MAC Finished regular season ranked 3rd in yards per completion (14.93) Finished regular season ranked 23rd in yar...
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology