cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Trent Hendrick /James Madison

Trent Hendrick

LB · James Madison · Sr · #5

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

96 TACKLES · 3 SACKS

2026 RETURNINGReturning to James Madison for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to James Madison for 2026

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Linebacker · James Madison

Returning around him

  • 78% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
  • Transfer portal: +7 net (37 in / 30 out)

2026 Award watch

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

James Madison · Last season: 12-2 (AP #19) · Talent rank #127 · 2026 recruiting class #108

LB · JAMES MADISON · SUN BELT

Trent Hendrick

  • 4
  • #5
  • 6-0 | 234 lb
  • Richmond, VA

CFB Zeitgeist Score

85

All-Conference in the position cohort. Carried by sacks at the 89th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#9118

<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 · Season-by-season Standing

3 seasons on the ladder

Peak: R09 All-Conference HM / 2nd team · 2025

2022

James Madison · LB

2023

James Madison · LB

2025

James Madison · LB

R09 · All-Conference HM / 2nd team

Recognized

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
No recruit profile
CFB
College
James Madison
2022–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

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

PositionLB
Class4
Jersey5
Measurements6-0 | 234 lb
HometownRichmond, VA
Primary teamJames Madison

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#9118Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#8701Where 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

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 Trent Hendrick

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 Trent Hendrick

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

final
Through 13g
96Tackles
7Tackles for loss
3Sacks
Per game
7Tackles
0.5Tackles for loss
0.2Sacks
Final
96Tackles
7Tackles for loss
3Sacks

✓ Hit 80-tackle season · finished with 96.

Why this is a rare defensive case

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

Trent Hendrick is trying to climb the steepest award hill in college football: a defensive candidacy. The hook is the disruption profile on James Madison's defense, with 3.0 sacks, 7.0 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 #9118 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load -- Role share still loading
Profile quirk Honors spine 1 honors loaded

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 96 34 solo | #61/4942 (99th pct)
TFL 7.0 Backfield disruption | #277/4972 (94th 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 | High-volume tackler against FBS defenders.

High-disruption defenderHigh-volume tackler

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Tackling & Disruption

TOT
96 99th
SOLO
34 92nd
TFL
7.0 94th
SACK
3.0 94th
QBH
2 66th

Coverage & Takeaways

PD
3 76th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 13 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppTKLSOLOTFLSACKINTPDNote
Wk 1W 45-10vs Weber State731.00.00
Wk 2L 14-28@ Louisville621.00.00
Wk 4W 31-13@ Liberty630.00.00
Wk 5W 35-10vs Georgia Southern1163.03.013 sacks
Wk 6W 14-7@ Georgia State810.00.00
Wk 7W 24-14vs Louisiana500.00.00
Wk 8W 63-27vs Old Dominion510.00.00
Wk 11W 35-23@ Marshall1250.50.00Season-high 12 tackles
Wk 12W 58-10vs App State620.00.00
Wk 13W 24-20vs Washington State1020.50.00
Wk 14W 59-10@ Coastal Carolina520.00.00
Wk 15W 31-14vs Troy510.00.01
BowlL 34-51@ Oregon1061.00.01
Total96347.03.03
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

2022James Madison8-3HC: Curt Cignetti · Run-leaning
2023James Madison11-2HC: Damian Wroblewski · Balanced
2025James Madison12-2HC: Bob Chesney · Run-heavy
SeasonTeam
2025James Madison96347.03.03----
2023James Madison30101.50.01----
2022James Madison20112.00.0------
Career3 loaded seasons1465510.53.04----
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 3 Coverage disruption | #521/2184 (76th pct)
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 96 #61/4942 99th pct Volumevs FBS DEF
Defense TFL 7.0 #277/4972 94th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Sacks 3.0 #292/4972 94th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Pass breakups 3 #521/2184 76th pct Coveragevs FBS DEF
Defense QB hurries 2 #647/1878 66th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Solo tackles 34 #386/4584 92nd pct Volumevs FBS DEF

Player Standing

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

ALL-CONF HM

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

ALL-CONF HM · Rung 9 of 16

Why he’s here

All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started.

What moves him up

A best-at-position run lifts to 1st team.

What moves him down

A back-end conference finish drops out of the honor list.

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 · 13 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Home7g7.00.60.40.3
Road6g7.80.40.00.2

Win vs Loss

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Wins11g7.30.50.30.2
Losses2g8.01.00.00.5

First half vs Second half

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Weeks 1-77g7.60.90.40.3
Weeks 8+6g7.20.20.00.2

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

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the LB cohort

85All-Conference
6 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: tackles (97th). Strength: tackles for loss (89th).

Tackles#61 / 2975 · 98th pct
96defe
Tackles for loss#277 / 2975 · 90th pct
7.0defe
Sacks#291 / 2975 · 89th pct
3.0defe
Solo tackles#386 / 2975 · 87th pct
34defe
Passes defended#517 / 2975 · 78th pct
3defe
QB hurries#634 / 2975 · 72nd pct
2defe

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
Trent HendrickJames MadisonColton PharesApp State· 95% simGavin MoulDelaware· 94% simMatt RoseStanford· 94% sim
Tackles
98
Hendrick
98
Phares
99
Moul
99
Rose
Tackles for loss
90
Hendrick
96
Phares
90
Moul
93
Rose
Sacks
89
Hendrick
80
Phares
80
Moul
89
Rose
Solo tackles
87
Hendrick
95
Phares
98
Moul
97
Rose
Passes defended
78
Hendrick
78
Phares
78
Moul
78
Rose
QB hurries
72
Hendrick
72
Phares
72
Moul
82
Rose

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 Nick Jackson’s 2022 season.

Nick Jackson

84%match

Virginia · 2022

#2

TJ Quinn

Louisville · 2025

83%
#3

Jordan Veneziale

Georgia State · 2022

83%
#4

Keye Thompson

Ohio · 2022

All-MAC
81%
#5

Breon Hayward

UTEP · 2021

All-Conference USA
81%

Matches Nick on

TFL rate
PD rate
Tackle volume

Differs from Nick on

Class year (higher)

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Edefuan Ulofoshio's senior season at Washington (2023).

Edefuan Ulofoshio

85%match

Washington · 2023

NFL Rd 5
#2

Treylin Payne

Texas State · 2025

84%
#3

Jordan Crook

Arizona State · 2025

All-Big 12
83%
#4

Jaylen Wester

Western Kentucky · 2025

83%
#5

Trey Fields

North Texas · 2025

82%

Matches Edefuan on

Weight
PD rate
TFL rate

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Bob Chesney

Pass share

39.7%

385 pass / 584 run

Plays / game

69.2

14 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

7.8%

269 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-heavy.

Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025

3 coaches
2022
Curt Cignetti
James Madison
2023
Damian Wroblewski
James Madison
era →
2025
Bob Chesney
James Madison
era →

Played under 3 different head coaches: Curt Cignetti, Damian Wroblewski, and Bob Chesney. Multi-era developmental context.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

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

HometownRichmond, VA
Height6'0"
Weight234 lb
Class4
PositionLB
Jersey5

Trophy Case · Confirmed honors

What the selectors said

1 entries
🎖

ALL-CONFERENCE

All-Conf mention (2025)

All-Sun Belt

Trophy Case · Detail

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

All-Conference

1 all-conference honor

Conference-level recognition helps anchor whether a player is merely statistically loud or actually viewed as elite within his competitive lane.

Honors Timeline

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

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
2025 All-Sun Belt all_conference James Madison | Sun Belt LB

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 James Madison LB4 #9118 #8701 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | Sun Belt
2023 James Madison LB4 #8098 #8046 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | Sun Belt
2022 James Madison LB4 #9548 #9431 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | Sun Belt

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 James Madison Sun Belt LB 4 No. 5 | 6-0 | 234 lb | Richmond, VA
2024 James Madison Sun Belt LB 4 No. 5 | 6-0 | 234 lb | Richmond, VA
2023 James Madison Sun Belt LB 4 No. 5 | 6-0 | 234 lb | Richmond, VA
2022 James Madison Sun Belt LB 4 No. 5 | 6-0 | 234 lb | Richmond, VA