#26

Delano Ware

Senior safety for Western Michigan. 2022: 2 interceptions, 1 pass breakup, 64 tackles.

S · Western Michigan · Sr. · #26

5′11″ · 207 lb · Richmond, CA

CFB Index 59 · #173 of 493 safetiesMedium confidenceWestern Michigan 2022 alumnus

Recruiting

3★

CB recruit

No. 1707 nationally · Signed with Illinois

No college snaps yet.

His career numbers, season by season

The story

4 safety for Western Michigan. 2022: 2 interceptions, 1 pass breakup, 64 tackles.

Signed as a 3-star recruit to Illinois in 2018.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Five seasons at Western Michigan, 172 tackles — his college career is complete.

His career

He was on the field for 5 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.

201811 games

Signed with Illinois3-star out of El Cerrito

20219 games

Entered the portal

Career arc

Recruit

★★★

#1707 national

CFB

College

2 teams

2018–2022

NFL

NFL Draft

—

Not drafted

Coaching lineage · 2018–2022

1 coach

2018–2022

Tim Lester

Western Michigan

Played his entire career under Tim Lester.

2022 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2018Illinois4-8HC: Lovie Smith · Run-heavy

2019Illinois6-7HC: Lovie Smith · Run-leaning

2020Illinois2-6HC: Rod Smith · Run-heavy

2021Western Michigan8-5HC: Tim Lester · Run-heavy, fast tempo

2022Western Michigan5-7HC: Tim Lester · Run-leaning

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

59Quality starter #173 of 493?

Medium confidence7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: solo tackles (92nd percentile). Strength: tackles (89th percentile). Concern: sacks (24th percentile).

Box-score production (7)

Solo tackles#206 / 2755 · 92nd pct

Tackles#305 / 2755 · 89th pct

QB hurries#511 / 2755 · 76th pct

Interceptions#124 / 811 · 73rd pct

Passes defended#1116 / 2755 · 48th pct

Tackles for loss#1784 / 2755 · 29th pct

1.0

Sacks#1454 / 2755 · 24th pct

0.0

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

2022 season · 12 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home6g	5.8	0.1	0.0	0.0
Road6g	4.8	0.1	0.0	0.2

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-77g	5.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Weeks 8+5g	5.8	0.2	0.0	0.2

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Lance Taylor

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2022

Starter

Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

59 · #173 of 493 safeties

Three-star recruit. Now #173 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2022	Western Michigan	64	40	1.0	0.0	1	2	--
2021	Western Michigan	40	30	0.0	0.0	--	--	--
2020	Illinois	11	7	0.0	0.0	1	--	--
2019	Illinois	22	12	0.0	0.0	2	--	--
2018	Illinois	35	21	2.5	1.0	2	1	--
Career		172	110	3.5	1.0	6	3	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 5 · 2022

W 44–7

vs New Hampshire

4 TOT · 3 SOLO · 1 TD

Dominant 37-point win at home against New Hampshire.

With S. Tyler — 35 rush yds (10 car) · 1 TD · J. Salopek — 252 yds · 3 TD · 1 INT · QBR 58.9 · 28 rush yds (4 car)

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2022 season · 12 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	INT	PD	Note
Wk 1	L 13-35@ Michigan State	5	3	0.0	—	0
Wk 2	W 37-30@ Ball State	5	3	0.0	—	0
Wk 3	L 13-34vs Pittsburgh	8	7	0.0	—	0
Wk 4	L 6-34@ San José State	3	1	0.0	—	0
Wk 5	W 44-7vs New Hampshire	4	3	0.0	1	0
Wk 6	L 23-45vs Eastern Michigan	6	3	0.0	—	0
Wk 7	L 14-33vs Ohio	4	4	0.0	1	0
Wk 8	W 16-10@ Miami (OH)	1	0	0.0	—	1
Wk 10	L 9-13@ Bowling Green	9	5	0.0	—	0	Season-high 9 tackles
Wk 11	L 21-24vs Northern Illinois	4	3	0.0	—	0
Wk 12	W 12-10@ Central Michigan	6	5	0.5	—	0
Wk 13	W 20-14vs Toledo	9	3	0.5	—	0
Total		64	40	1.0	2	1

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology