Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 34-18vs South Dakota State | 9 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Total | 9 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 |
#21
Damon Walters
Junior defensive back for Northwestern. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 195 lb · Bolingbrook, IL · Bolingbrook
CFB Index 56 · #215 of 537 safetiesLow confidenceReturning to Northwestern 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
1
interception · 2026
1 PBU · 9 tackles
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 INT, 1 PBU, 9 tackles, vs South Dakota State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 defensive back for Northwestern. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Northwestern in 2023.
- 1 interception in 2024. Then 1 in 2026.
Damon Walters
Plays like an extra linebacker near the line. Third year in the Northwestern secondary, same address the whole way. The receipt: 9 tackles, 1 INT against South Dakota State — Week 1, 2026.
9 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Northwestern3-star out of Bolingbrook
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Northwestern
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Northwestern
Played his entire career under David Braun.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under David Braun — 12-14 over that span.
2024Northwestern4-8HC: David Braun · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Northwestern7-6HC: David Braun · Run-leaning
2026Northwestern1-0HC: David Braun · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
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 1 game: 9.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 1.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
David Braun
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 1 game in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2024
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
56 · #215 of 537 safeties
Three-star recruit. Now #215 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Northwestern | 9 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Northwestern | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Northwestern | 42 | 26 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 54 | 31 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 3 | 2 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 34–18
9 TOT · 4 SOLO · 1 PD
With A. Chiles — 273 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · 18 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD · J. Himon II — 87 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Northwestern
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive back · Northwestern
Returning around him
- 2 Northwestern players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +9 net (17 in / 8 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Northwestern · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #60 · 2026 recruiting class #52
DNA match
Player DNA
Box Safety
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
S
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Tanner Davis’s 2021 season.
Matches Tanner on
Tackle volume
PD rate
TFL rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Owen Long's freshman season at Colorado State (2024).
80%match
All-Mountain West
Matches Owen on
Class year
Height
PD rate
Differs from Owen on
TFL rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Damon Walters
Background
2025 Redshirt Sophomore: Played in three games before suffering a season-ending injury … Tallied three total tackles and one solo tackle … Posted two total tackles (one solo) against Purdue (10/18). 2024 Redshirt First-Year: Played in 10 games and started the final five, totaling 42 tackles, four...
The secondary · Northwestern
- #6Robert Fitzgerald106 tackles · 2025
- #9Braden Turner52 tackles · 2025
- #18Garner Wallace45 tackles · 2025
- #13Josh Fussell29 tackles · 2025
- #21Damon Walters3 tackles · 2025
18 more on the roster · Northwestern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology