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 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | Season-high 8 yds |
| Total | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 |
#8
Hayden Eligon II
Junior wide receiver for Northwestern. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 210 lb · Lakewood, CA · Los Alamitos
CFB Index 51 · #209 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
8
receiving yards · 2026
1 catches · 8 per catch
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 rec, 8 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 3-star recruit to Northwestern in 2024.
Hayden Eligon II
Beats you over the top. Third year in the Northwestern receiving corps, same address the whole way. One game to point at: 8 rec yds, 1 receptions against South Dakota State — Week 1, 2026.
8 REC YDS · 1 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
The week the volume broke through — put up 127 yds vs Minnesota.Minnesota · W 38-352025
20243 games
- Signed with Northwestern3-star out of Los Alamitos
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 (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 1.0 REC/g, 8.0 YDS/g, 8.0 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: #32 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 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Northwestern | 37 | 521 | 14.1 | 3 | -- |
| 2024 | Northwestern | 4 | 83 | 20.8 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 42 | 612 | 14.6 | 3 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 34–18
1 rec · 8 yds
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
Stretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play.
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
Deep Threat
Stretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play.
WR
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jahdae Walker’s 2023 season.
82%match
Matches Jahdae on
Yards / reception
EPA / play (adj)
TD rate
Differs from Jahdae on
Class year (lower)
Through 1 college season, his career arc tracks closest to Will Vereen’s path through South Carolina State.
Will Vereen
100%match
#2
Beau Kelly
100%
Matches Will on
Yards per reception
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Leland Smith's sophomore season at San José State (2025).
82%match
All-Mountain West
Matches Leland on
TD rate
Weight
Total EPA (college ability)
Differs from Leland on
Class year (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Hayden Eligon II
Background
2025 Sophomore: Played in 12 games with 10 starts … Posted career highs in receptions (37), receiving yards (521) receiving touchdowns (three) and longest reception (38 yards) … Became the first NU underclassman wide receiver with 3+ receiving touchdowns in a season since Riley Lees scored three...
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