Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 36-15vs Wofford | 2 | 36 | 18.0 | 0 | 30 | Season-high 36 yds |
| Total | 2 | 36 | 18.0 | 0 | 30 |
#1
Ardell Banks
Junior wide receiver for Kent State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 195 lb · Massillon, OH · Massillon
CFB Index 28 · #441 of 485 WRsHigh confidenceReturning to Kent State for 2026
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.
The numbers
36
receiving yards · 2026
2 catches · 18 per catch
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 rec, 36 yds, vs Wofford
Swing playSwung Kent State from 59% to 79% to win.Kent State at Akron · 42-35
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 wide receiver for Kent State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kentucky in 2023.
- Transferred from Kentucky to Kent State in 2024.
Ardell Banks
Beats you over the top. Ardell Banks has played for two head coaches in three seasons at Kent State. One game to point at: 36 rec yds, 2 receptions against Wofford — Week 2, 2026.
36 REC YDS · 2 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Kentucky3-star out of Massillon Washington
20243 games
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Kent State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
Kenni Burns
Kent State
2025–2026era →
Mark Carney
Kent State
Coaching transition mid-career: Kenni Burns → Mark Carney. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Kent State0-12HC: Kenni Burns · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Kent State5-7HC: Mark Carney · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2026Kent State1-1HC: Mark Carney · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Elite: yards / catch (88th percentile). Concern: rec yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 2.0 REC/g, 36.0 YDS/g, 18.0 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Mark Carney
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-MAC
Based on 2025: #33 of 38 Mid-American WRs
How the All-MAC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kent State | 2 | 36 | 18.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Kent State | 12 | 205 | 17.1 | 2 | -- |
| 2024 | Kent State | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 16 | 261 | 16.3 | 2 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kent State | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Kent State | -- | 5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Kent State | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- |
| Career | -- | 5 | 2 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 36–15
vs Wofford
2 rec · 36 yds
Dominant 21-point win at home against Wofford.
With D. DeShields — 248 yds · 1 TD · 2 INT · QBR 67.4 · 74 rush yds (10 car) · 2 TD · D. Clark — 5 rec · 90 yds
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Stretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Kent State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Wide receiver · Kent State
Returning around him
- 64% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- Transfer portal: -4 net (11 in / 15 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Kent State · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #130 · 2026 recruiting class #122
DNA match
Player DNA
Deep Threat
Stretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play.
WR
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Keenan Jackson’s 2024 season.
Matches Keenan on
Height
Recruiting rating
Yards / reception
Differs from Keenan on
Class year (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Dahu Green's sophomore season at Arkansas State (2021).
66%match
Matches Dahu on
Total EPA (college ability)
Height
Yards / reception
Differs from Dahu on
Class year (lower)
Recruiting rating (higher)
Background
2025 (R-Sophomore) Played in 11 games with 10 receptions for 205 yards and 2 touchdowns Averaged 17.1 yards per catch Scored touchdowns against Massachusetts (34 yards) and game-winning touchdown at Akron (25 yards) Had a season-long 38-yard reception at Texas Tech Totaled 12 points on the season...
The receiver room · Kent State
- #6Wayne Harris383 receiving yards · 2025
- #1Ardell Banks205 receiving yards · 2025
- #8Da'Realyst Clark108 receiving yards · 2025
- #3Jay Jay Etheridge30 receiving yards · 2025
- #86Matthew Maxey10 receiving yards · 2025
11 more on the roster · Kent State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology