Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 49-21vs Ohio | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 2 | |
| Wk 2 | W 56-7vs Bowling Green | 5 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 9 | 5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2 |
#37
Donovan Jones
Sophomore cornerback for Nebraska. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 200 lb · Omaha, NE · North
CFB Index 56 · #218 of 544 safetiesLow confidenceReturning to Nebraska 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
2 PBU · 9 tackles · 1 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 INT, 5 tackles, vs Bowling Green
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 cornerback for Nebraska. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Nebraska in 2024.
- 1 interception in 2025. Then 1 in 2026.
Donovan Jones
Moves between deep coverage and the slot. He has spent three seasons in the Nebraska secondary. The receipt on tape: 4 tackles against Ohio, Week 1, 2026.
9 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
20243 games
- Signed with Nebraska3-star out of Omaha North
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Nebraska
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Nebraska
Played his entire career under Matt Rhule.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Matt Rhule — 16-12 over that span.
2024Nebraska7-6HC: Matt Rhule · Balanced
2025Nebraska7-6HC: Matt Rhule · Run-leaning
2026Nebraska2-0HC: Matt Rhule · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Elite: passes defended (94th percentile). 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: 4.5 TKL/g, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 1.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Matt Rhule
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Starter
Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
56 · #218 of 544 safeties
Three-star recruit. Now #218 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #36 of 77 Big Ten DBs
How the All-Big Ten 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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 56–7
5 TOT · 3 SOLO · 1 TFL
Dominant 49-point win at home against Bowling Green.
With A. Colandrea — 222 yds · 4 TD · 1 INT · QBR 52.8 · 33 rush yds (4 car) · J. Barney Jr. — 8 rec · 115 yds · 2 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Nebraska
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Cornerback · Nebraska
Returning around him
- 1 Nebraska player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -2 net (17 in / 19 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Nebraska · Last season: 7-6 (AP #25) · Talent rank #22 · 2026 recruiting class #88
DNA match
Player DNA
Hybrid Nickel
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Kevin Winston Jr.’s 2023 season.
83%match
NFL Rd 3 · Pk 18
Matches Kevin on
PD rate
Weight
Class year
Differs from Kevin on
Height (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Justin Content's sophomore season at UTEP (2025).
73%match
Matches Justin on
Tackle volume
PD rate
Weight
Differs from Justin on
Class year (lower)
TFL rate (lower)
The secondary · Nebraska
- #21Rex Guthrie63 tackles · 2025
- #37Donovan Jones59 tackles · 2025
- #26Dwayne McDougle47 tackles · 2025
- #10Andrew Marshall45 tackles · 2025
- #22Victor Evans III41 tackles · 2025
16 more on the roster · Nebraska team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology