CFB Zeitgeist Score
75
Solid starter in the position cohort. Carried by rec yards at the 87th percentile.
Demarcus Lacey
Filling the Shoesas of 2026-06-22
Demarcus Lacey arrives at Marshall with a new fit to prove and an old chapter behind him.
769REC YDS65REC5REC TD
STRAIGHT 100-YD REC GAMES
3
longest 2025 run of 100+ receiving yds
Read the story so far
AI narrative · updated 2026-06-22 · compiled from CFB Zeitgeist data
2026 Outlook
Returning to Marshall for 2026
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Wide receiver · Marshall
Returning around him
- 100% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
- Transfer portal: +5 net (27 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Marshall · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #89 · 2026 recruiting class #120
WR · MARSHALL · SUN BELT
Demarcus Lacey
- 4
- #4
- 6-0 | 190 lb
- Birmingham, AL
Heisman Heat
#4628
<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 WR AWARD
Biletnikoff
—
CONSENSUS
All-American
—
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 2 · StarterR07 · Impact starter
Impact starter. Producing measurable value above replacement.
Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career Arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Marshall
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 |
|---|---|---|
| No recruiting profile is on file for this player. | ||
Transfer Arc
Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.
| Season | Move | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jacksonville State -> Marshall | 3-star | 0.8400 | Immediate |
| 2024 | North Alabama -> Jacksonville State | 3-star | 0.8400 | Immediate |
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.
Achievements
- Program Benchmark 5.5% Program Benchmark Season leader for the program at the player's position across the headline volume metric (passing yards / rushing yards / receiving yards). Held by 5.5% of the 2025 pool. Team leader in receiving yards (769).
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.
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 Demarcus Lacey
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 Demarcus Lacey
No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.
2025 Signature · 2025 season
Receiving yards (total)
769
yds
All FBS WRs, min 20 receptions
National rank #69 of 531
Percentile vs All FBS WRs, min 20 receptions 87th
Why it matters
#69 of 531 All FBS WRs in receiving yards — 769 yards on 65 receptions.
Vs cohort
This player 769 (87th)
HIGH · n=65 cohort 531
- Also strong
- Receiving TDs#98 / 531
- Yards per reception#300 / 531
Signature Moment
Week 5 at Louisiana — 146 receiving_yards_total
Result L 51-54
The week the volume broke through — put up 146 yds at Louisiana.
Season Pace · Projection
Where the receiving totals stand
Through 12g
769Rec yards
65Receptions
5Rec TDs
Per game
64.1Rec yards
5Receptions
0Rec TDs
Projected (13g)
833.1Rec yards
70Receptions
5Rec TDs
✓ Hit 700-yard receiver · finished with 769.
To hit 1,000-yard receiver (currently 769): needs 231/game over remaining 1.
✓ Hit 60-catch season · finished with 65.
To hit 80-catch season (currently 65): needs 15/game over remaining 1.
To hit 8 receiving TDs (currently 5): needs 3/game over remaining 1.
To hit 10 receiving TDs (currently 5): needs 5/game over remaining 1.
What made this player interesting
The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.
Demarcus Lacey's story is about how role and output meet each other. For Marshall, the card already shows enough current-season production to explain why he is on the serious-player board, and the next layer is determining whether the profile is just very good or actually distinctive.
2025 Season · Final
Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.
Last season
WR 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?
Target magnet | All-purpose weapon against FBS receiving peers.
2025 Season · Final
2025 season snapshot | final
Receiving
REC
65 97th
YDS
769 93rd
YPR
11.8 49th
TD
5 91st
Rushing
CAR
19 97th
YDS
157 97th
YPC
8.3 81st
TD
0 81st
Returns
PR YDS
218 93rd
PR AVG
12.1 79th
Game Log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 12 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 7-45@ Georgia | 3 | 11 | 3.7 | 0 | 7 | |
| Wk 2 | L 20-21vs Missouri State | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Wk 3 | W 38-7vs Eastern Kentucky | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wk 4 | W 42-28@ Middle Tennessee | 5 | 116 | 23.2 | 1 | 68 | |
| Wk 5 | L 51-54@ Louisiana | 10 | 146 | 14.6 | 2 | 35 | Season-high 146 yds |
| Wk 7 | W 48-24vs Old Dominion | 8 | 121 | 15.1 | 1 | 52 | |
| Wk 8 | W 40-37vs Texas State | 7 | 88 | 12.6 | 0 | 30 | |
| Wk 10 | L 27-44@ Coastal Carolina | 5 | 24 | 4.8 | 0 | 10 | |
| Wk 11 | L 23-35vs James Madison | 5 | 35 | 7.0 | 0 | 17 | |
| Wk 12 | W 30-18@ Georgia State | 4 | 39 | 9.8 | 1 | 14 | |
| Wk 13 | L 24-26@ App State | 12 | 134 | 11.2 | 0 | 38 | 134-yard receiving day |
| Wk 14 | L 19-24vs Georgia Southern | 4 | 53 | 13.3 | 0 | 34 | |
| Total | 65 | 769 | 10.6 | 5 | 68 |
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
2025Marshall5-7HC: Tony Gibson · Run-leaning
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Marshall | 65 | 769 | 11.8 | 5 | -- |
| Career | 1 loaded season | 65 | 769 | 11.8 | 5 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Marshall | 19 | 157 | -- | 218 | -- |
| Career | 1 loaded season | 19 | 157 | -- | 218 | -- |
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context
Advanced metrics second
Advanced Metrics
Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.
The player's share of a team's passing-game involvement. It is the fastest way to see whether the receiver is a true focal point or more of a complementary piece.
A blended workload view that accounts for catches, designed touches, and any return-game involvement that shapes the overall profile.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving | Receptions | 65 | #36/1110 | 97th pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Receiving | Receiving yards | 769 | #75/1107 | 93rd pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Receiving | Receiving TD | 5 | #96/1111 | 91st pct | Scoringvs FBS WR |
| Receiving | Yards / catch | 11.8 | #562/1106 | 49th pct | Efficiencyvs FBS WR |
| Returns | Punt return yards | 218 | #16/224 | 93rd pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Usage | Pass share | 20.8% | #77/1137 | 93rd pct | Air-game usagevs FBS WR |
| Rushing | Rushing yards | 157 | #11/397 | 97th pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Rushing | Rushing LONG | 32 | #28/346 | 92nd pct | Metricvs FBS WR |
| Rushing | Carries | 19 | #14/407 | 97th pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Rushing | Yards / carry | 8.3 | #74/393 | 81st pct | Efficiencyvs FBS WR |
| Rushing | Rush TD | 0 | #81/411 | 81st pct | Scoringvs FBS WR |
| Receiving | Receiving LONG | 68 | #109/1105 | 90th pct | Metricvs FBS WR |
| Returns | Punt returns | 18 | #21/237 | 92nd pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Returns | Punt return avg | 12.1 | #47/222 | 79th pct | Efficiencyvs FBS WR |
| Usage | Passing-down usage | 12.6% | #109/1137 | 91st pct | Known-passing sharevs FBS WR |
| Usage | 1st-down usage | 12.5% | #34/1137 | 97th pct | Early-down loadvs FBS WR |
| Usage | Role share | 11.2% | #59/1137 | 95th pct | Share of team offensevs FBS WR |
| Usage | 3rd-down usage | 10.6% | #193/1137 | 83rd pct | Money-down loadvs FBS WR |
| Usage | Standard-down usage | 10.6% | #50/1137 | 96th pct | Base-situation sharevs FBS WR |
| Usage | 2nd-down usage | 10.2% | #106/1137 | 91st pct | Middle-down loadvs FBS WR |
| Usage | Rush share | 4.3% | #26/1137 | 98th pct | Ground-game usagevs FBS WR |
| Ball Security | Fumbles lost | 0 | #1/302 | 100th pct | Turnoversvs FBS WR |
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
Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.
Splits · Per-game
2025 season · 12 games
Home vs Road
| REC/g | YDS/g | YPR | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home6g | 4.3 | 49.8 | 9.8 | 0.2 |
| Road6g | 6.5 | 78.3 | 11.2 | 0.7 |
Win vs Loss
| REC/g | YDS/g | YPR | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wins5g | 4.8 | 72.8 | 15.2 | 0.6 |
| Losses7g | 5.9 | 57.9 | 7.9 | 0.3 |
First half vs Second half
| REC/g | YDS/g | YPR | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-76g | 4.7 | 66.0 | 11.5 | 0.7 |
| Weeks 8+6g | 6.2 | 62.2 | 9.8 | 0.2 |
Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.
Savant · Box-rate percentiles
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
75Solid starter
Elite: rush yards (97th). Strength: receptions (93rd).
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Advanced Savant · WR · 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
Demarcus LaceyMarshallDevin VoisinSouth Alabama· 96% simChris BellLouisville· 93% simDonovan FaupelNew Mexico State· 89% sim
Rush yards
Receptions
Rec yards
Long catch
Fumbles lost
Rec TDs
Rush TDs
Yards / catch
Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.
Player DNA
The Slot Technician
Runs precise routes in tight quarters. Volume player who keeps chains moving.
WR
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Hank Beatty’s 2025 season.
Hank Beatty
78%match
All-Big Ten
#2
Jarrin Pierce
70%
#3
Justin Garrett
68%
#4
Chase Hendricks
All-MAC
74%
#5
Keontra Smith
66%
Matches Hank on
Yards / reception
Weight
Height
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Ryan Flournoy’s path through Southeast Missouri State.
Ryan Flournoy
98%match
NFL Rd 6
#2
Latrell Caples
All-Mountain West
98%
#3
Jameel Gardner Jr.
98%
#4
Xavier Lane
98%
#5
Anthony Lowe
97%
Matches Ryan on
Yards per reception
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Logan Loya's senior season at UCLA (2023).
Logan Loya
82%match
#2
Hank Beatty
All-Big Ten
81%
#3
Joey Hobert
All-Sun Belt
80%
#4
Xavier Weaver
All-AAC
78%
#5
Kyle Williams
76%
Matches Logan on
Total EPA (college ability)
Yards / reception
Reception volume
Differs from Logan on
EPA / play (adj) (lower)
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Tony Gibson
Pass share
40.4%
335 pass / 495 run
Plays / game
69.2
12 games
OL sack rate (allowed)
7.0%
244 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Coaching Lineage · 2025
1 coach2025
Tony Gibson
Marshall
Played his entire career under Tony Gibson.
Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster
Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.
HometownBirmingham, AL
Height6'0"
Weight190 lb
Class4
PositionWR
Jersey4
No fields populated yet.
No fields populated yet.
Current teamMarshall
ConferenceSun Belt
Joined2025
Career arc2 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 | Jacksonville State | WR4 | #4628 | #5004 | 0.0% | 0.0% | -- | -- | W16 snapshot | Conference USA |
Roster Timeline
Team, conference, and class by season.
| Season | Team | Conference | Pos | Class | Bio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Marshall | Sun Belt | WR | 4 | No. 4 | 6-0 | 190 lb | Birmingham, AL |
| 2024 | Jacksonville State | Conference USA | WR | 4 | No. 4 | 6-0 | 190 lb | Birmingham, AL |