Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 34-18vs South Dakota State | 3 | 43 | 14.3 | 0 | 22 | Season-high 43 yds |
| Total | 3 | 43 | 14.3 | 0 | 22 |
#19
Drew Wagner
Junior wide receiver for Northwestern. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
5′10″ · 195 lb · Delafield, WI · Kettle Moraine
CFB Index 28 · #448 of 485 WRsHigh confidenceReturning to Northwestern 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
43
receiving yards · 2026
3 catches · 14.3 per catch
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 rec, 43 yds, vs South Dakota State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 wide receiver for Northwestern. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 2-star recruit to Northwestern in 2024.
Drew Wagner
Moves the chains on third down. 2 stars out of high school, three seasons of real snaps at Northwestern since. One game to point at: 43 rec yds, 4 rush yds against South Dakota State — Week 1, 2026.
43 REC YDS · 3 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- recruiting profile
- game log
His career
The week the volume broke through — stacked 1 td vs Western Illinois.Western Illinois · W 42-72025
20244 games
- Signed with Northwestern2-star out of Kettle Moraine
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★
CFB
College
Northwestern
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Northwestern
Played his entire career under David Braun.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under David Braun — 12-14 over that span.
2024Northwestern4-8HC: David Braun · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Northwestern7-6HC: David Braun · Run-leaning
2026Northwestern1-0HC: David Braun · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Concern: rec yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (7)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 3.0 REC/g, 43.0 YDS/g, 14.3 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
David Braun
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 1 game in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #59 of 61 Big Ten WRs
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
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Northwestern | 3 | 43 | 14.3 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Northwestern | 22 | 172 | 7.8 | 2 | -- |
| 2024 | Northwestern | 3 | 31 | 10.3 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 28 | 246 | 8.8 | 2 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Northwestern | 1 | 4 | -- | 5 | -- |
| 2025 | Northwestern | 3 | 17 | 22 | 27 | -- |
| 2024 | Northwestern | -- | -- | -- | 71 | 1 |
| Career | 4 | 21 | 22 | 103 | 1 |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 34–18
4 rush yds (1 car)
With A. Chiles — 273 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · 18 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD · J. Himon II — 87 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Northwestern
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Wide receiver · Northwestern
Returning around him
- 88% of 2024 offensive production back (Strong continuity)
- 2 Northwestern players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +9 net (17 in / 8 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Northwestern · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #60 · 2026 recruiting class #52
DNA match
Player DNA
Possession Receiver
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
WR
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jamaal Bell’s 2021 season.
82%match
Matches Jamaal on
Total EPA (college ability)
EPA / play (adj)
TD rate
Differs from Jamaal on
Class year (lower)
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Daniel Crawford’s path through Northern Illinois.
99%match
All-MAC
Matches Daniel on
Yards per reception
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Donnovan Moorer's sophomore season at Texas State (2022).
Matches Donnovan on
Yards / reception
EPA / play (adj)
Height
Differs from Donnovan on
Weight (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Drew Wagner
Background
2025 Sophomore: Played in 10 games … Hauled in 22 receptions for 172 yards and two touchdowns, all career highs … Received his first career touchdown on a four-yard scoring connection with Preston Stone in the fourth quarter against Western Illinois (9/5) … Hauled in the longest reception of his...
The receiver room · Northwestern
- #17Griffin Wilde880 receiving yards · 2025
- #8Hayden Eligon II521 receiving yards · 2025
- #10Ricky Ahumaraeze200 receiving yards · 2025
- #19Drew Wagner172 receiving yards · 2025
- #3Frank Covey IV22 receiving yards · 2025
10 more on the roster · Northwestern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology