Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 56-9vs Furman | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#42
DJ Burks
Senior defensive back on Tennessee's 2026 roster.
6′0″ · 196 lb · Maryville, TN · Maryville
CFB Index 76 · #65 of 544 safetiesLow confidenceTransferred App State → Tennessee 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.
Recruiting
3★
ATH recruit
No. 1433 nationally · Signed with App State
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive back on Tennessee's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to App State in 2022.
- Transferred from App State to Tennessee in 2026.
DJ Burks
Plays like an extra linebacker near the line. DJ Burks has played for three head coaches across four seasons and two programs. One game to point at: 1 tackles against Furman — Week 1, 2026.
1 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
4 programs, one constant: he played.
2022
- Signed with App State3-star out of Maryville
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Tennessee
Played his entire career under Josh Heupel.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Tennessee
2025App State
2026Tennessee
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023App State9-5HC: Shawn Clark · Balanced
2024App State5-6HC: Shawn Clark · Balanced
2025App State5-8HC: Dowell Loggains · Pass-leaning
2026Tennessee2-0HC: Josh Heupel · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidenceAscending
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 1 game: 1.0 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
Josh Heupel
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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 56–9
vs Furman
1 TOT · 1 SOLO
Dominant 47-point win at home against Furman.
With F. Brandon — 226 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · 68 rush yds (10 car) · 2 TD · M. Matthews — 4 rec · 132 yds · 2 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Box Safety
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Kevin Brennan’s 2020 season.
91%match
Matches Kevin on
PD rate
TFL rate
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jacquez Warren's junior season at Miami (OH) (2023).
86%match
Matches Jacquez on
Class year
Tackle volume
PD rate
Player DNA
Players who play like DJ Burks
Background
CAREER Local safety with significant experience who returns to East Tennessee after spending the past four seasons at Appalachian State … Was an instrumental part of Maryville High School’s success before signing with App State … Enrolled at Tennessee in January 2026 for his final collegiate seas...
The secondary · Tennessee
- #15Edrees Farooq76 tackles · 2025
- #42DJ Burks73 tackles · 2025
- #1TJ Metcalf58 tackles · 2025
- #4Ty Redmond43 tackles · 2025
- #6Mar'Quavious Moss41 tackles · 2025
17 more on the roster · Tennessee team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology