Will James
Will James
Moves between deep coverage and the slot. Will James has played for two head coaches across two seasons and two programs. 2025 brought the first one: All-Big 12. The receipt: 6 tackles against LSU — Bowl, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
Career Arc
Trophy Case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-CONFERENCE
All-Conf mention (2025)
All-Big 12
Coaching Lineage · 2024–2025
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Dana Holgorsen → Willie Fritz. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Splits & context
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Willie Fritz
Awards
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 3 · RecognizedR09 · All-Conference HM / 2nd team
All-Conference HM / 2nd team. Conference recognition has started.
Recognition
Production
Trophy Case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-CONFERENCE
All-Conf mention (2025)
All-Big 12
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Houston | 39 | 32 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 3 | -- |
| 2024 | Southern Miss | 35 | 21 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 7 | -- | -- |
| Career | 74 | 53 | 6.0 | 0.0 | 12 | 3 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 8 · 2025
W 31–28
vs Arizona
1 TOT · 1 SOLO
Edged out Arizona at home in a shootout.
How he plays
Play style
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Houston
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive back · Houston
Returning around him
- 1 Houston player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +2 net (18 in / 16 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Houston · Last season: 10-3 (AP #25) · Talent rank #66 · 2026 recruiting class #38
DNA match
Player DNA
Hybrid Nickel
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Javion White’s 2025 season.
Matches Javion on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Javion White's sophomore season at Tulane (2025).
Matches Javion on
Background
As a Sophomore (2025) Started all 13 games at cornerback All-Big 12 Second Team All-Texas Second Team, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football PFF National Team of the Week (Nov. 24) Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 24) Led the Cougars in interceptions (3), turnovers gained (4) and forced fumbles...