cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Reid Williford /Charlotte

Reid Williford

LB · Charlotte · Sr · #40

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

74 TACKLES · 4 SACKS

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Charlotte for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Charlotte for 2026

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Linebacker · Charlotte

Returning around him

  • 24% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
  • Transfer portal: -8 net (19 in / 27 out)

2026 Award watch

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

Charlotte · Last season: 1-11 · Talent rank #108 · 2026 recruiting class #135

LB · CHARLOTTE · AMERICAN ATHLETIC

Reid Williford

  • 4
  • #40
  • 6-2 | 235 lb
  • Franklin, TN

CFB Zeitgeist Score

76

All-Conference in the position cohort. Carried by sacks at the 93rd percentile.

Heisman Heat

#11464

<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

R07 · Impact starter

Impact starter. Producing measurable value above replacement.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★
#1733 national
CFB
College
Charlotte
2022–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

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

PositionLB
Class4
Jersey40
Measurements6-2 | 235 lb
HometownFranklin, TN
Primary teamCharlotte

Recruiting Pedigree

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

Top pedigree 3-star No. 1733 recruit
Composite rating 0.8293 HighSchool
Signed with Charlotte 2022
Origin CPA Nashville, TN, USA
Class Profile Context
2022 3-star | 0.8293 No. 1733 recruit | HighSchool | Charlotte

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#11464Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#12244Where 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.

NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft

Market value, pedigree & pro outcome

Recruit stars

★★★☆☆

to Charlotte

Composite

0.8293

#1733 national

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 Reid Williford

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 Reid Williford

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 12g
74Tackles
6Tackles for loss
4Sacks
Per game
6Tackles
0.5Tackles for loss
0.3Sacks
Projected (13g)
80Tackles
6.5Tackles for loss
4.3Sacks

To hit 80-tackle season (currently 74): needs 6/game over remaining 1.

To hit 100-tackle season (currently 74): needs 26/game over remaining 1.

To hit 6-sack season (currently 4): needs 2/game over remaining 1.

To hit 10-sack season (currently 4): needs 6/game over remaining 1.

Why this is a rare defensive case

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

Reid Williford is trying to climb the steepest award hill in college football: a defensive candidacy. The hook is the disruption profile on Charlotte's defense, with 4.0 sacks, 6.0 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 #11464 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load -- Role share still loading
Profile quirk Defensive rarity 4.0 sacks | 6.0 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 74 46 solo | #216/4942 (96th pct)
TFL 6.0 Backfield disruption | #406/4972 (92nd pct)
Sacks 4.0 Pass-rush finish | #169/4972 (97th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

High-disruption defender | High-volume tackler against FBS defenders.

High-disruption defenderHigh-volume tackler

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Tackling & Disruption

TOT
74 96th
SOLO
46 98th
TFL
6.0 92nd
SACK
4.0 97th
QBH
2 66th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 12 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppTKLSOLOTFLSACKINTPDNote
Wk 1L 11-34vs App State310.00.00
Wk 2L 3-20vs North Carolina210.50.00
Wk 3W 42-35vs Monmouth642.02.002 sacks
Wk 4L 17-28vs Rice620.00.00
Wk 6L 26-54@ South Florida830.50.00
Wk 7L 7-24@ Army17120.00.00Season-high 17 tackles
Wk 8L 14-49vs Temple110.00.00
Wk 9L 20-54vs North Texas742.02.002 sacks
Wk 11L 22-48@ East Carolina530.00.00
Wk 12L 7-28vs UTSA531.00.00
Wk 13L 3-35@ Georgia760.00.00
Wk 14L 0-27@ Tulane760.00.00
Total74466.04.00
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

2022Charlotte3-9HC: Peter Rossomando · Balanced
2023Charlotte3-9HC: Biff Poggi · Run-leaning
2024Charlotte5-7HC: Biff Poggi · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Charlotte1-11HC: Tim Albin · Balanced, slow tempo
SeasonTeam
2025Charlotte74466.04.0------
2024Charlotte74415.52.02----
2023Charlotte1291.00.0------
2022Charlotte20111.50.01----
Career4 loaded seasons18010714.06.03----
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 0 Coverage disruption
QB pressures 2 Quarterback hurries | #647/1878 (66th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Defense Total tackles 74 #216/4942 96th pct Volumevs FBS DEF
Defense TFL 6.0 #406/4972 92nd pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Sacks 4.0 #169/4972 97th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense QB hurries 2 #647/1878 66th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Solo tackles 46 #113/4584 98th 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 · 12 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Home7g4.30.80.60.0
Road5g8.80.10.00.0

Win vs Loss

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Wins1g6.02.02.00.0
Losses11g6.20.40.20.0

First half vs Second half

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Weeks 1-76g7.00.50.30.0
Weeks 8+6g5.30.50.30.0

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

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the LB cohort

76All-Conference
6 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: solo tackles (95th). Strength: sacks (93rd). Concern: passes defended (17th).

Solo tackles#113 / 2975 · 96th pct
46defe
Sacks#169 / 2975 · 93rd pct
4.0defe
Tackles#216 / 2975 · 93rd pct
74defe
Tackles for loss#406 / 2975 · 85th pct
6.0defe
QB hurries#634 / 2975 · 72nd pct
2defe
Passes defended#1916 / 2975 · 18th pct
0defe

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
Reid WillifordCharlotteMarcAnthony ParkerNavy· 91% simEthan WesloskiNorth Texas· 87% simMicah DaveyUTEP· 86% sim
Solo tackles
96
Williford
96
Parker
99
Wesloski
99
Davey
Sacks
93
Williford
80
Parker
74
Wesloski
63
Davey
Tackles
93
Williford
98
Parker
99
Wesloski
99
Davey
Tackles for loss
85
Williford
87
Parker
95
Wesloski
91
Davey
QB hurries
72
Williford
88
Parker
95
Wesloski
82
Davey
Passes defended
18
Williford
18
Parker
18
Wesloski
18
Davey

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

Player DNA

The Every-Down Linebacker

Leads the team in tackles and rarely leaves the field.

LB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Dariel Djabome’s 2025 season.

Dariel Djabome

86%match

Rutgers · 2025

#2

Stefon Thompson

Syracuse · 2021

84%
#3

Nic Mitchell

Mississippi State · 2025

83%
#4

West Weeks

LSU · 2025

82%
#5

Brad Johnson

South Carolina · 2021

82%

Matches Dariel on

Class year
TFL rate
Weight

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Jimmy Rolder's senior season at Michigan (2025).

Jimmy Rolder

88%match

Michigan · 2025

All-Big TenNFL Rd 4
#2

Jordan Brown

North Texas · 2023

86%
#3

Dariel Djabome

Rutgers · 2025

All-Big Ten
86%
#4

Jordan Stringer

Troy · 2024

86%
#5

Ashanti Cistrunk

Ole Miss · 2023

85%

Matches Jimmy on

Tackle volume
Weight
TFL rate

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Tim Albin

Pass share

51.4%

379 pass / 358 run

Plays / game

61.4

12 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

8.9%

302 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Balanced, slow tempo.

Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025

3 coaches
2022
Peter Rossomando
Charlotte
2023
Biff Poggi
Charlotte
era →
2024
Biff Poggi
Charlotte
2025
Tim Albin
Charlotte
era →

Played under 3 different head coaches: Peter Rossomando, Biff Poggi, and Tim Albin. Multi-era developmental context.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

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

HometownFranklin, TN
Height6'2"
Weight235 lb
Class4
PositionLB
Jersey40

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 Charlotte LB4 #11464 #12244 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | American Athletic
2023 Charlotte LB4 #14201 #14393 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | American Athletic
2022 Charlotte LB4 #14661 #14833 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | Conference USA

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Charlotte American Athletic LB 4 No. 40 | 6-2 | 235 lb | Franklin, TN
2024 Charlotte American Athletic LB 4 No. 40 | 6-2 | 235 lb | Franklin, TN
2023 Charlotte American Athletic LB 4 No. 40 | 6-2 | 235 lb | Franklin, TN
2022 Charlotte Conference USA LB 4 No. 40 | 6-2 | 235 lb | Franklin, TN