Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 87-3vs Wagner | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#3
Gannon Weathersby
4th-year linebacker for James Madison. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
5′10″ · 225 lb · Atlanta, GA · Langston Hughes
CFB Index 40 · #384 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to James Madison 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
5
tackles · 2026
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 tackles, vs Wagner
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for James Madison. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
His career, year by yearGannon Weathersby
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Gannon Weathersby has been at James Madison through three head coaches in four seasons. The receipt: 5 tackles against Wagner — Week 2, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
James Madison
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
3 coaches2023
Damian Wroblewski
James Madison
2024–2025era →
Bob Chesney
James Madison
Played under 3 different head coaches: Damian Wroblewski, Bob Chesney, and Billy Napier. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023James Madison11-2HC: Damian Wroblewski · Balanced
2024James Madison9-4HC: Bob Chesney · Run-leaning
2025James Madison12-2HC: Bob Chesney · Run-heavy
2026James Madison2-0HC: Billy Napier · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidenceAscending
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 1 game: 5.0 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
Billy Napier
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
40 · #384 of 583 LBs
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Sun Belt
Based on 2025: #39 of 63 Sun Belt LBs
How the All-Sun Belt 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 | James Madison | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | James Madison | 50 | 14 | 3.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | James Madison | 19 | 9 | 4.0 | 0.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | James Madison | 1 | -- | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 75 | 26 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 87–3
vs Wagner
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
James Madison
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · James Madison
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +6 net (37 in / 31 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
James Madison · Last season: 12-2 (AP #19) · Talent rank #101 · 2026 recruiting class #80
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Sam Brumfield’s 2024 season.
Matches Sam on
Tackle volume
Differs from Sam on
Hurry rate (higher)
Height (lower)
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Marco Patierno's junior season at Eastern Michigan (2025).
72%match
Matches Marco on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Sack rate
Differs from Marco on
Hurry rate (higher)
Height (lower)
Background
2025: Played in 13 games, making 11 starts at linebacker Had 57 tackles (14 solo) to go with 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and one pass breakup Career-high 11 tackles with a half TFL at Marshall (Nov. 8) Made nine tackles at Georgia State (Oct. 4) Tallied seven stops with a sack at Louisville (S...
The linebacker corps · James Madison
- #2Nakian Jackson51 tackles · 2025
- #3Gannon Weathersby50 tackles · 2025
- #26Jayden Studio8 tackles · 2025
- #45Lee Johnson2 tackles · 2025
- #12Lathan Croley1 game · 2026
3 more on the roster · James Madison team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology