Junior defensive back for UCLA. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 211 lb · Oklahoma City, OK · Carl Albert HS / Iowa State
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 plays
Moves between deep coverage and the slot.
Interceptions: 89th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
interceptions · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 INT, 8 tackles, at California
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Junior defensive back for UCLA. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
Ta'Shawn James
Moves between deep coverage and the slot. Two head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. One game to point at: 7 tackles against Purdue — Week 3, 2026.
20 TACKLES · 0.5 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
5 programs, one constant: he played.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
4 coachesPlayed under 4 different head coaches: Chip Kelly, Deshaun Foster, Tim Skipper, and Bob Chesney. Multi-era developmental context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to UCLA
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UCLA | 20 | 7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 2 | -- |
| 2025 | Iowa State | 33 | 20 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Iowa State | 41 | 20 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Iowa State | 5 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 99 | 52 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 7 | 2 | -- |
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 | W 45-24@ California | 8 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | Season-high 8 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 28-10vs San Diego State | 5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 3 | W 52-38vs Purdue | 7 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 20 | 7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2 | 1 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 45–24
at California
2 interceptions · 8 tackles · 1 hurries
Dominant 21-point win on the road against California.
With C. Gerrand — 43 yards per punt · 5 punts · 3 inside the 20 · W. Knight — 71 rush yds (8 car) · 3 TD
Since week 2: +7 tackles.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: interceptions (89th percentile). Strength: tackles (82nd 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
5%1 pass breakupsInterceptions
2interceptionsTackle volume
20tackles this seasonTFL rate
2%0 TFL20 tackles · 0 for loss · 0 sacks · 1 pass breakups · 2 interceptions.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home2g | 6.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 |
| Road1g | 8.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 6.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bob Chesney
Pass share
39.0%
76 pass / 119 run
Plays / game
65.0
3 games
Team sack rate
5.7%
87 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-heavy.
Player standing · 2026
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Play style
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CFB Index positional classification
The No. 1,293 recruit in the country is starting in the secondary in the Big Ten as a junior.
Player DNA
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Collin Duncan’s 2021 season.
Matches Collin on
Differs from Collin on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Cruce Brookins's senior season at Pittsburgh (2026).
Matches Cruce on
Player DNA
Career Summary Transferred to UCLA ahead of the 2026 campaign after spending his first three collegiate seasons at Iowa State (2023-25) … over 26 games at Iowa State (eight starts), posted 79 tackles, six pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble. 2025 (Iowa State) Saw action…
18 more on the roster · UCLA team page