Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 40-0vs Northern Illinois | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Wk 2 | W 16-13vs Iowa State | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 |
#8
Deshaun Lee
Senior defensive back for Iowa. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′10″ · 189 lb · Belleville, MI · Belleville
CFB Index 69 · #89 of 364 cornersLow confidenceReturning to Iowa 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 · 5 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 INT, 1 PBU, 1 tackles, vs Northern Illinois
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive back for Iowa. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Iowa in 2022.
Deshaun Lee
Erases the deep middle of the field. Fourth year in the Iowa secondary, same address the whole way. The receipt on tape: 4 tackles against Iowa State, Week 2, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2022
- Signed with Iowa3-star out of Belleville
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Iowa
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Iowa
Played his entire career under Kirk Ferentz.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Kirk Ferentz — 29-13 over that span.
2023Iowa10-4HC: Kirk Ferentz · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2024Iowa8-5HC: Kirk Ferentz · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2025Iowa9-4HC: Kirk Ferentz · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2026Iowa2-0HC: Kirk Ferentz · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low confidenceAscending
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 2 games: 2.5 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.5 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Kirk Ferentz
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
69 · #89 of 364 corners
Three-star recruit. Now #89 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #20 of 77 Big Ten DBs
- #1John Nestor
- #19Koi Perich
- #20Deshaun Lee
- #21TJ Hall
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 16–13
vs Iowa State
4 TOT · 3 SOLO
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 3 at home.
With B. Everitt — 44 AVG · 4 IN 20 · 51 LONG · H. Brown — 191 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 34.2 · 22 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Single-high range who erases the deep middle of the field.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Iowa
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive back · Iowa
Returning around him
- 7 Iowa players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +7 net (15 in / 8 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Iowa · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #44 · 2026 recruiting class #26
DNA match
Player DNA
Centerfielder
Single-high range who erases the deep middle of the field.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Cale Sanders’s 2022 season.
85%match
Matches Cale on
PD rate
Height
Tackle volume
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jayvon Henderson's junior season at South Alabama (2025).
83%match
Matches Jayvon on
Class year
Weight
PD rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Deshaun Lee
The secondary · Iowa
- #6Zach Lutmer71 tackles · 2025
- #2Tyler Brown71 tackles · 2025
- #8Deshaun Lee34 tackles · 2025
- #7Rashad Godfrey Jr.15 tackles · 2025
- #3Jaylen Watson15 tackles · 2025
14 more on the roster · Iowa team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology