Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 20-13vs Liberty | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 87-3vs Wagner | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 5 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#17
Danny Royster
5th-year edge rusher on James Madison's 2026 roster.
6′2″ · 240 lb · Indianapolis, IN · Lawrence North
Returning to James Madison for 2026
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026
5 tackles · 1 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, vs Liberty
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 edge rusher on James Madison's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Ball State in 2022.
Danny Royster
Two head coaches in three seasons, at two different programs. One game to point at: 3 tackles against Liberty — Week 1, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2022
- Signed with Ball State3-star out of Lawrence North
2025
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
3 coaches2023
Damian Wroblewski
James Madison
2024era →
Bob Chesney
James Madison
Played under 3 different head coaches: Damian Wroblewski, Bob Chesney, and Billy Napier. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Ball State4-8HC: Mike Neu · Run-heavy
2024Ball State3-9HC: Mike Neu · Balanced
2026James Madison2-0HC: Billy Napier · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: qb hurries (83rd percentile). 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: 2.5 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Billy Napier
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.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | James Madison | 5 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Ball State | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Ball State | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 9 | 4 | 2.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 87–3
vs Wagner
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
James Madison
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Edge · James Madison
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +6 net (37 in / 31 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
James Madison · Last season: 12-2 (AP #19) · Talent rank #101 · 2026 recruiting class #80
Background
2025 at Indianapolis: First Team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference defensive lineman Started all 13 games at defensive lineman GLVC Defensive Player of the Week once Had 36 tackles (26 solo) to go with 13.0 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one pass breakup and one safety Career hi...
The defensive line · James Madison
- #8Amar Thomas6.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #93Mychal Mcmullin2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #88Kells Bush0 tackles for loss · 2025
- #10Chukwunedu Okeke0 tackles for loss · 2025
- #17Danny Royster2 games · 2026
12 more on the roster · James Madison team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology