Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 38-7vs Central Michigan | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 70-7vs Mercyhurst | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Total | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#3
CJ McBean
Sophomore safety on New Mexico's 2026 roster.
6′1″ · 195 lb · Long Beach, CA
CFB Index 40 · #366 of 544 safetiesMedium confidenceReturning to New Mexico 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.
Recruiting
3★
ATH recruit
No. 1325 nationally · Signed with New Mexico
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 safety on New Mexico's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to New Mexico in 2025.
CJ McBean
Moves between deep coverage and the slot. He has spent two seasons in the New Mexico secondary. The receipt: 3 tackles against Mercyhurst — Week 2, 2026.
4 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
202511 games
- Signed with New Mexico3-star out of Junipero Serra
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
New Mexico
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Jason Eck — 11-4 over that span.
2025New Mexico9-4HC: Jason Eck · Run-leaning
2026New Mexico2-0HC: Jason Eck · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
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.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 2.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.5 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Jason Eck
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
40 · #366 of 544 safeties
Three-star recruit. Now #366 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Mountain West
Based on 2025: #11 of 17 Mountain West Ss
How the All-Mountain West estimate is computed
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. 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 | New Mexico | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | New Mexico | 40 | 25 | 1.5 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| Career | 44 | 28 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 70–7
vs Mercyhurst
3 TOT · 3 SOLO · 1 PD
Dominant 63-point win at home against Mercyhurst.
With C. Steinkamp — 59 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 76 LONG · M. Kern — 38 AVG · 3 IN 20 · 39 LONG
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
New Mexico
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Safety · New Mexico
Returning around him
- 1 New Mexico player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +0 net (14 in / 14 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
New Mexico · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #112 · 2026 recruiting class #87
DNA match
Player DNA
Hybrid Nickel
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Brenyen Scott’s 2023 season.
Matches Brenyen on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Class year
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Damaine Wilson's freshman season at Georgia State (2024).
82%match
Matches Damaine on
Height
Tackle volume
TFL rate
Differs from Damaine on
Class year (lower)
The secondary · New Mexico
- #7Tavian Combs72 tackles · 2025
- #5Frankie Edwards47 tackles · 2025
- #3CJ McBean40 tackles · 2025
- #9Eric McClain26 tackles · 2025
- Austin Brawley25 tackles · 2025
18 more on the roster · New Mexico team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology