Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 62-13vs UL Monroe | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 38-13@ Minnesota | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#42
DJ Reed
Junior defensive lineman on Mississippi State's 2026 roster.
6′4″ · 285 lb · Columbus, GA · Carver HS (Auburn)
CFB Index 32 · #316 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceReturning to Mississippi State 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
0
sacks · 2026
0.5 TFL · 3 tackles · 1 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, at Minnesota
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 defensive lineman on Mississippi State's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Auburn in 2023.
DJ Reed
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. Second year in the Mississippi State defensive front, same address the whole way. The receipt on tape: 2 tackles, 0.5 TFL against UL Monroe, Week 1, 2026.
3 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Auburn4-star out of Carver
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Mississippi State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Jeff Lebby, all run-leaning offenses — 7-8 over that span.
2025Mississippi State5-8HC: Jeff Lebby · Run-leaning
2026Mississippi State2-0HC: Jeff Lebby · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Elite: qb hurries (83rd percentile). 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 2 games: 1.5 TKL/g, 0.2 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
Jeff Lebby
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
32 · #316 of 420 edge rushers
Former four-star. Now #316 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #49 of 60 SEC DLs
- #1Taylor Wein
- #48Red Hibbler
- #49DJ Reed
- #50Maraad Watson
How the All-SEC 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 | Mississippi State | 3 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Mississippi State | 21 | 4 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 24 | 5 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 38–13
at Minnesota
1 TOT · 1 QB HUR
Dominant 25-point win on the road against Minnesota.
With K. Taylor — 227 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 88.8 · 86 rush yds (13 car) · A. Evans III — 6 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Mississippi State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Mississippi State
Returning around him
- 2 Mississippi State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -12 net (28 in / 40 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Mississippi State · Last season: 5-8 · Talent rank #20 · 2026 recruiting class #23
DNA match
Player DNA
3-Tech Penetrator
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to T.J. Sanders’s 2024 season.
Matches T.J. on
Weight
Class year
Sack rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Kelby Collins's freshman season at Florida (2023).
82%match
Matches Kelby on
TFL rate
Sack rate
Weight
Differs from Kelby on
Class year (lower)
Background
Career Notes Played in 16 career games with zero starts … Transferred to Mississippi State from Auburn ahead of the 2025 season … Following the 2025 season, had career totals of 21 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks and one pass breakup. 2025 (Redshirt Sophomore Season) Played in all 13 games with zero...
The defensive line · Mississippi State
- #9Jaray Bledsoe5.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #43Will Whitson4.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #35Kalvin Dinkins3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #42DJ Reed2 tackles for loss · 2025
- #97Jayson Jenkins2 tackles for loss · 2025
14 more on the roster · Mississippi State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology