Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 10-48@ Alabama | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 24-27vs App State | 9 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Total | 13 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#11
DJ Johnson Jr.
Senior linebacker for East Carolina. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 224 lb · Hampton, GA · Dutchtown
CFB Index 39 · #390 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to East Carolina 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
13
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 9 tackles, vs App State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for East Carolina. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to East Carolina in 2023.
DJ Johnson Jr.
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. DJ Johnson Jr. has been at East Carolina through two head coaches in four seasons. The receipt: 9 tackles against App State — Week 2, 2026.
13 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2023
- Signed with East Carolina3-star out of Dutchtown
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
East Carolina
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023–2024
East Carolina
Coaching transition mid-career: Mike Houston → Blake Harrell. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023East Carolina2-10HC: Mike Houston · Balanced
2024East Carolina8-5HC: Mike Houston · Balanced
2025East Carolina9-4HC: Blake Harrell · Run-leaning, fast tempo
2026East Carolina0-2HC: Blake Harrell · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidenceAscending
Concern: tackles for loss (20th 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: 6.5 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
Blake Harrell
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
39 · #390 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #390 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-AAC
Based on 2025: #38 of 61 American Athletic LBs
How the All-AAC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. 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
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | East Carolina | 13 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | East Carolina | 60 | 29 | 5.0 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | East Carolina | 28 | 13 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | East Carolina | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 102 | 51 | 6.5 | 0.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
East Carolina
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · East Carolina
Returning around him
- 1 East Carolina player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -2 net (24 in / 26 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
East Carolina · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #83 · 2026 recruiting class #94
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Blesyng Alualu-Tuiolemotu’s 2025 season.
80%match
Matches Blesyng on
Sack rate
Hurry rate
Solo tackle rate
Differs from Blesyng on
Height (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Blesyng Alualu-Tuiolemotu's junior season at UNLV (2025).
87%match
Matches Blesyng on
Sack rate
PD rate
Hurry rate
Player DNA
Players who play like DJ Johnson Jr.
Background
Two-year letterman (2024-25) … Started eight of 28 career games (all starts in 2025) … Registered 89 total tackles (43 solo) with 6.5 TFLs (-12 yards) that includes a half sack (-4 yards) … Credited with two quarterback hurries … Booked at least one tackle in 23 of 28 games (multiple 18 times) …...
The linebacker corps · East Carolina
- #11DJ Johnson Jr.60 tackles · 2025
- #42Julien Davis23 tackles · 2025
- #10Crews Law23 tackles · 2025
- #1Jackson Barker20 tackles · 2025
- #43Jordan Miles9 tackles · 2025
7 more on the roster · East Carolina team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology