Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 80-6vs Northwestern State | 4 | 52 | 13.0 | 1 | 29 | Season-high 52 yds |
| Wk 2 | L 14-45@ LSU | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 0 | 11 | |
| Total | 6 | 67 | 10.2 | 1 | 29 |
#84
Eli Finley
Senior tight end for Louisiana Tech. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′6″ · 246 lb · Heath, TX · Rockwall-Heath HS
CFB Index 63 · #28 of 156 TEsMedium-low confidenceReturning to Louisiana Tech 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
67
receiving yards · 2026
6 catches · 1 TD · 11.2 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 4 rec, 52 yds, 1 TD, vs Northwestern State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 tight end for Louisiana Tech. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Louisiana Tech in 2023.
Eli Finley
Shows up in the passing game from any alignment. Fourth year in the Louisiana Tech receiving corps, same address the whole way. Two straight seasons of it now: All-Conference USA again in 2025. The receipt: 52 rec yds, 4 receptions against Northwestern State — Week 1, 2026.
67 REC YDS · 6 REC · 1 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
The week the volume broke through — put up 155 yds vs Southern Miss.Southern Miss · W 30-202025
20233 games
- Signed with Louisiana Tech3-star out of Rockwall-Heath
202411 games
The role got bigger.
- All-Conference USAhonorable_mention
202511 games
- All-Conference USAsecond
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Louisiana Tech
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-CONFERENCE USA · 2ND TEAM
All-Conference USA 2nd team (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Louisiana Tech
Played his entire career under Sonny Cumbie.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Sonny Cumbie — 17-23 over that span.
2023Louisiana Tech3-9HC: Sonny Cumbie · Balanced
2024Louisiana Tech5-8HC: Sonny Cumbie · Run-leaning
2025Louisiana Tech8-5HC: Sonny Cumbie · Run-heavy
2026Louisiana Tech1-1HC: Sonny Cumbie · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the TE cohort
Box-score percentiles
Medium-low confidence
Concern: rec yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.0 REC/g, 33.5 YDS/g, 10.2 YPR, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Sonny Cumbie
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.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-Sun Belt
Based on 2025: #2 of 10 Conference USA TEs — his program moves to the Sun Belt for 2026
How the All-Sun Belt estimate is computed
49% estimated, 95% confidence interval 43–54%. 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. The base rate was measured on players who stayed in the same conference; this estimate is not adjusted for the move to the Sun Belt.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Louisiana Tech | 6 | 67 | 11.2 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Louisiana Tech | 38 | 445 | 11.7 | 0 | -- |
| 2024 | Louisiana Tech | 25 | 314 | 12.6 | 2 | -- |
| 2023 | Louisiana Tech | 2 | 10 | 5.0 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 71 | 836 | 11.8 | 3 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 80–6
4 rec · 52 yds · 1 TD
Dominant 74-point win at home against Northwestern State.
With J. Mickens — 31 rush yds (2 car) · B. Baker — 232 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · 1 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
No single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Louisiana Tech
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Tight end · Louisiana Tech
Returning around him
- 64% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- Transfer portal: -13 net (11 in / 24 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Louisiana Tech · Last season: 8-5 · Talent rank #124 · 2026 recruiting class #99
DNA match
Player DNA
Complete TE
No single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike.
TE
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Luke Schoonmaker’s 2022 season.
71%match
All-Big TenNFL Rd 2 · Pk 27
Matches Luke on
Height
Total EPA (college ability)
Weight
Differs from Luke on
TD rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jack Velling's junior season at Michigan State (2024).
78%match
All-Big Ten
Matches Jack on
EPA / play (adj)
Recruiting rating
Height
Differs from Jack on
Class year (lower)
Background
CAREER HONORS & AWARDS All-CUSA Second Team (2025) John Mackey Award Watch List (2025) Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List (2025) Athlon Preseason First Team All-CUSA (2025) Phil Steele Preseason First Team All-CUSA (2025) All-CUSA Honorable Mention (2024) CUSA Comissioner's Honor Roll (2024, 202...
The tight end room · Louisiana Tech
- #84Eli Finley445 receiving yards · 2025
- #87Brayden Bockler5 receiving yards · 2025
- #80Deven Munizno box-score line yet
- #82Luke Seibno box-score line yet
- #9Josh Brantley1 game · 2026
2 more on the roster · Louisiana Tech team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology