CFB Zeitgeist Score
20
Below cohort in the position cohort. Carried by sacks at the 24th percentile.
D.J. Herman
Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.
18 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
2026 Outlook
Returning to San Diego State for 2026
2026 Depth chart
Returning starter
Linebacker · San Diego State
Returning around him
- 80% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
- 1 San Diego State player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +0 net (26 in / 26 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
San Diego State · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #86 · 2026 recruiting class #78
LB · SAN DIEGO STATE · MOUNTAIN WEST
D.J. Herman
- 4
- #45
- 6-2 | 235 lb
- Las Vegas, NV
Heisman Heat
#14624
<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 1 · 2-deepR04 · Rotational
Rotational. Earning real snaps in the rotation.
Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career Arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
San Diego State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Identity & Role
The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.
Recruiting Pedigree
How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.
| Class | Profile | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3-star | 0.8411 | No. 1439 recruit | HighSchool | San Diego State |
Transfer Arc
Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.
| 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 16Heisman Futures
Not yet listed on major futures markets.
No achievements unlocked yet this season.
Selector Grid · 2025
AP—
FWAA—
AFCA—
WCFF—
SN—
SI—
Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.
NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft
Market value, pedigree & pro outcome
Recruit stars
★★★☆☆
to San Diego State
Composite
0.8411
#1439 national
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
PENDINGThe 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 D.J. Herman
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 D.J. Herman
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.
Season Pace · Projection
Where the defensive totals stand
Through 7g
18Tackles
0Tackles for loss
0Sacks
Per game
3Tackles
0Tackles for loss
0Sacks
Projected (13g)
33Tackles
0Tackles for loss
0Sacks
To hit 80-tackle season (currently 18): needs 10.3/game over remaining 6.
To hit 100-tackle season (currently 18): needs 13.7/game over remaining 6.
To hit 6-sack season (currently 0): needs 1/game over remaining 6.
To hit 10-sack season (currently 0): needs 1.7/game over remaining 6.
Why this is a rare defensive case
The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.
D.J. Herman is trying to climb the steepest award hill in college football: a defensive candidacy. The hook is the disruption profile on San Diego State's defense, with 0.0 sacks, 0.0 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.
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
Player identity What kind of player is this?
30-second read
What kind of player is this?
Defensive contributor against FBS defenders.
2025 Season · Final
2025 season snapshot | final
Tackling & Disruption
TOT
18 56th
SOLO
10 56th
TFL
0.0 39th
SACK
0.0 65th
Game Log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 7 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 42-0vs Stony Brook | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 8 tackles |
| Wk 4 | W 34-0vs California | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 6 | W 45-24vs Colorado State | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 7 | W 44-10@ Nevada | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 9 | W 23-0@ Fresno State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 13 | W 25-3vs San José State | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Bowl | L 47-49vs North Texas | 8 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 18 | 10 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score
Traditional history
Traditional Stats
Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.
Season context · Team result + system
2022San Diego State7-6HC: Brady Hoke · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2023San Diego State4-8HC: Brady Hoke · Run-leaning
2025San Diego State9-4HC: Sean Lewis · Run-heavy
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | San Diego State | 18 | 10 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | San Diego State | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | San Diego State | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 3 loaded seasons | 22 | 12 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context
Advanced metrics second
Advanced Metrics
Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.
TFL, sacks, and QB hurries are grouped together because defensive Heisman cases are usually built on visible havoc, not on tackle counts alone.
Pass breakups, interceptions, and forced fumbles matter because national awards voters respond to plays that change possessions and highlight reels.
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.
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.
Open full stat explorer
| Group | Metric | Value | Rank | Pct | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defense | Total tackles | 18 | #2161/4942 | 56th pct | Volumevs FBS DEF |
| Defense | TFL | 0.0 | #3020/4972 | 39th pct | Disruptionvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Sacks | 0.0 | #1762/4972 | 65th pct | Disruptionvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Solo tackles | 10 | #1996/4584 | 56th pct | Volumevs FBS DEF |
Player Standing
Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.
AWAITING CLASSIFICATION
On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex
AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16
Why he’s here
Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.
What moves him up
What moves him down
Accolade streams
Status—Awaiting 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 · 7 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home5g | 3.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Win vs Loss
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wins6g | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Losses1g | 8.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-75g | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+2g | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.
Savant · Box-rate percentiles
Where this profile ranks vs the LB cohort
20Below cohort
Concern: tackles for loss (7th).
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
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
D.J. HermanSan Diego StateTyler MartinMassachusetts· 52% simBlake FletcherAir Force· 47% simTahj Ra-ElPurdue· 46% sim
Solo tackles
Tackles
Sacks
QB hurries
Passes defended
Tackles for loss
Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.
Player DNA
The Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Osita Ekwonu’s 2024 season.
Osita Ekwonu
90%match
#2
Brady Anderson
89%
#3
Bryce Ramirez
88%
#4
West Weeks
86%
#5
West Weeks
85%
Matches Osita on
Tackle volume
TFL rate
Height
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Osita Ekwonu's senior season at Charlotte (2024).
Osita Ekwonu
97%match
#2
Clyde Washington
88%
#3
Andy Alfieri
88%
#4
Connor Soelle
88%
#5
West Weeks
87%
Matches Osita on
Class year
Height
PD rate
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Sean Lewis
Pass share
35.3%
290 pass / 532 run
Plays / game
63.2
13 games
OL sack rate (allowed)
7.6%
224 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-heavy.
Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025
2 coaches2022
Brady Hoke
San Diego State
2023
Brady Hoke
San Diego State
2025era →
Sean Lewis
San Diego State
Coaching transition mid-career: Brady Hoke → Sean Lewis. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster
Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.
HometownLas Vegas, NV
Height6'2"
Weight235 lb
Class4
PositionLB
Jersey45
No fields populated yet.
No fields populated yet.
Current teamSan Diego State
ConferenceMountain West
Joined2025
Career arc4 season(s)
Trophy Case · Detail
Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.
No formal honors on the ledger yet
All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.
Honors Timeline
Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.
| Season | Honor | Scope | Team / Selector | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned. | ||||
Heisman By Year
Modeled rank and official finish by season.
| Season | Team | Role | Latest Model | Forecast | Win | Finalist | Official Finish | Points | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | San Diego State | LB4 | #14624 | #14711 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W16 snapshot | Mountain West |
| 2023 | San Diego State | LB4 | #14847 | #14777 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W19 snapshot | Mountain West |
| 2022 | San Diego State | LB4 | #11481 | #11298 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W20 snapshot | Mountain West |
Roster Timeline
Team, conference, and class by season.
| Season | Team | Conference | Pos | Class | Bio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | San Diego State | Mountain West | LB | 4 | No. 45 | 6-2 | 235 lb | Las Vegas, NV |
| 2024 | San Diego State | Mountain West | LB | 4 | No. 45 | 6-2 | 235 lb | Las Vegas, NV |
| 2023 | San Diego State | Mountain West | LB | 4 | No. 45 | 6-2 | 235 lb | Las Vegas, NV |
| 2022 | San Diego State | Mountain West | LB | 4 | No. 45 | 6-2 | 235 lb | Las Vegas, NV |