cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Jackson Adams /Air Force

Jackson Adams

LB · Air Force · Sr · #58

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

17 TACKLES · 3 SACKS

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Air Force for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Air Force for 2026

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Linebacker · Air Force

Returning around him

  • 63% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
  • Transfer portal: -4 net (0 in / 4 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Air Force · Last season: 4-8 · 2026 recruiting class #129

LB · AIR FORCE · MOUNTAIN WEST

Jackson Adams

  • 4
  • #58
  • 6-4 | 240 lb
  • Centennial, CO

CFB Zeitgeist Score

64

Solid starter in the position cohort. Carried by sacks at the 89th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#14322

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP LB AWARD

Butkus

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R05 · Part-time starter

Part-time starter. Splitting first-team reps.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
No recruit profile
CFB
College
Air Force
2023–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionLB
Class4
Jersey58
Measurements6-4 | 240 lb
HometownCentennial, CO
Primary teamAir Force

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree Not on file No matched recruiting profile in the loaded archive
Composite rating -- Composite rating unavailable for this player
Signed with -- Commitment history unavailable
Origin -- Hometown and high school unavailable
Class Profile Context
No recruiting profile is on file for this player.

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 0 No portal entry on file
Latest destination -- --
Transfer stars -- CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility -- Transfer date TBD
Season Move Context
No transfer portal moves on file for this player.

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#14322Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#14417Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

No achievements unlocked yet this season.

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Jackson Adams

Fan sentiment · Awaiting signal

The Room reads fan conversation around a player — who’s talking, what they believe, and how that shifts. It publishes once weekly volume rebuilds; for most players that’s in-season, when game-week chatter spikes.

Cohort divergence map

Cohort divergence reads how different fanbases talk about this player. Returns once weekly mentions clear the publish floor.

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Jackson Adams

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the defensive totals stand

projecting to 13-game
Through 10g
17Tackles
4Tackles for loss
3Sacks
Per game
2Tackles
0.4Tackles for loss
0.3Sacks
Projected (13g)
22Tackles
5.2Tackles for loss
3.9Sacks

To hit 80-tackle season (currently 17): needs 21/game over remaining 3.

To hit 100-tackle season (currently 17): needs 27.7/game over remaining 3.

To hit 6-sack season (currently 3): needs 1/game over remaining 3.

To hit 10-sack season (currently 3): needs 2.3/game over remaining 3.

Why this is a rare defensive case

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

Jackson Adams is trying to climb the steepest award hill in college football: a defensive candidacy. The hook is the disruption profile on Air Force's defense, with 3.0 sacks, 4.0 tackles for loss, and -- interceptions through the current loaded season. For a defender, the question is never just production; it is whether elite disruption and team context can become nationally undeniable.

Current place #14322 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load -- Role share still loading
Profile quirk Defensive rarity 3.0 sacks | 4.0 TFL

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

DEF season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Total tackles 17 7 solo | #2235/4942 (55th pct)
TFL 4.0 Backfield disruption | #738/4972 (85th pct)
Sacks 3.0 Pass-rush finish | #292/4972 (94th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

High-disruption defender against FBS defenders.

High-disruption defender

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Tackling & Disruption

TOT
17 55th
SOLO
7 48th
TFL
4.0 85th
SACK
3.0 94th
QBH
3 75th

Coverage & Takeaways

PD
2 64th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 10 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppTKLSOLOTFLSACKINTPDNote
Wk 1W 49-13vs Bucknell111.01.00
Wk 3L 30-49@ Utah State421.01.00Season-high 4 tackles
Wk 5L 35-44vs Hawai'i111.00.00
Wk 7L 48-51@ UNLV110.00.00
Wk 8W 24-21vs Wyoming000.00.00
Wk 10L 17-20vs Army100.00.00
Wk 11W 26-16@ San José State200.00.00
Wk 12L 16-26@ UConn200.00.01
Wk 13L 3-20vs New Mexico210.00.00
Wk 14W 42-21@ Colorado State311.01.01
Total1774.03.02
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2023Air Force9-4HC: Troy Calhoun · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2025Air Force4-8HC: Troy Calhoun · Run-heavy
SeasonTeam
2025Air Force1774.03.02----
2023Air Force221.00.0------
Career2 loaded seasons1995.03.02----
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Disruption stats

TFL, sacks, and QB hurries are grouped together because defensive Heisman cases are usually built on visible havoc, not on tackle counts alone.

Coverage splash

Pass breakups, interceptions, and forced fumbles matter because national awards voters respond to plays that change possessions and highlight reels.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

INT -- -- pick-six TD
Pass breakups 2 Coverage disruption | #792/2184 (64th pct)
QB pressures 3 Quarterback hurries | #462/1878 (75th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Defense Total tackles 17 #2235/4942 55th pct Volumevs FBS DEF
Defense TFL 4.0 #738/4972 85th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Sacks 3.0 #292/4972 94th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Pass breakups 2 #792/2184 64th pct Coveragevs FBS DEF
Defense QB hurries 3 #462/1878 75th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Solo tackles 7 #2403/4584 48th pct Volumevs FBS DEF

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

The Butkus award tracker integrates per-week probability once a dedicated scraper for this award lands. Confirmed past winners and finalists for this player will surface here.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 10 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Home5g1.00.40.20.0
Road5g2.40.40.40.4

Win vs Loss

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Wins4g1.50.50.50.2
Losses6g1.80.30.20.2

First half vs Second half

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Weeks 1-74g1.80.80.50.0
Weeks 8+6g1.70.20.20.3

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the LB cohort

64Solid starter
6 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: sacks (88th). Strength: qb hurries (81st). Concern: solo tackles (16th).

Sacks#291 / 2975 · 89th pct
3.0defe
QB hurries#457 / 2975 · 82nd pct
3defe
Tackles for loss#736 / 2975 · 73rd pct
4.0defe
Passes defended#777 / 2975 · 67th pct
2defe
Tackles#2235 / 2975 · 24th pct
17defe
Solo tackles#2397 / 2975 · 17th pct
7defe

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Advanced Savant · LB · 2024

Percentile Card

Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

Advanced opponent-adjusted metrics are coming soon for this player. Selected cohort: P4.

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 6 metrics
Jackson AdamsAir ForceTreylin PayneTexas State· 55% simRay ConeyTulsa· 55% simRasheem BilesPittsburgh· 55% sim
Sacks
89
Adams
80
Payne
80
Coney
95
Biles
QB hurries
82
Adams
82
Payne
88
Coney
88
Biles
Tackles for loss
73
Adams
87
Payne
90
Coney
100
Biles
Passes defended
67
Adams
67
Payne
67
Coney
86
Biles
Tackles
24
Adams
98
Payne
100
Coney
98
Biles
Solo tackles
17
Adams
95
Payne
93
Coney
91
Biles

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Thumper

Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.

LB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Wilson Huber’s 2021 season.

Wilson Huber

60%match

Cincinnati · 2021

#2

Jeremiah Peters

Toledo · 2025

60%
#3

Solomon Deshields

Pittsburgh · 2022

58%
#4

Mason Reiger

Louisville · 2023

55%
#5

Braden Siders

Wyoming · 2023

51%

Matches Wilson on

Tackle volume
TFL rate
Weight

Differs from Wilson on

PD rate (higher)
Class year (higher)

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Ibrahim Kante's junior season at Buffalo (2022).

Ibrahim Kante

82%match

Buffalo · 2022

#2

Ben Smiley III

Virginia · 2023

79%
#3

Derrick Moore

Michigan · 2024

All-Big TenNFL Rd 2 · Pk 12
77%
#4

Shaun Peterson Jr.

Florida International · 2022

73%
#5

Connor O'Toole

Utah · 2023

70%

Matches Ibrahim on

Weight
TFL rate
Tackle volume

Differs from Ibrahim on

Sack rate (higher)

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Troy Calhoun

Pass share

20.0%

163 pass / 650 run

Plays / game

67.8

12 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

10.6%

151 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-heavy.

Coaching Lineage · 2023–2025

1 coach
2023
Troy Calhoun
Air Force
2025
Troy Calhoun
Air Force

Played his entire career under Troy Calhoun.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownCentennial, CO
Height6'4"
Weight240 lb
Class4
PositionLB
Jersey58

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

No formal honors on the ledger yet

All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned.

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Air Force LB4 #14322 #14417 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | Mountain West
2023 Air Force LB4 #11723 #11486 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | Mountain West

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Air Force Mountain West LB 4 No. 58 | 6-4 | 240 lb | Centennial, CO
2024 Air Force Mountain West LB 4 No. 58 | 6-4 | 240 lb | Centennial, CO
2023 Air Force Mountain West LB 4 No. 58 | 6-4 | 240 lb | Centennial, CO