Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 9-19@ South Florida | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 0 | 15 | Season-high 15 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 33-20vs Buffalo | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 7 | |
| Total | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 0 | 15 |
#9
Jackson Verdugo
Sophomore tight end for Florida International. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 250 lb · College Station, TX
Returning to Florida International for 2026
The numbers
22
receiving yards · 2026
2 catches · 11 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 rec, 7 yds, vs Buffalo
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 tight end for Florida International. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Florida International in 2025.
Jackson Verdugo
Shows up in the passing game from any alignment. This is his second year in the same receiving corps at Florida International. The receipt on tape: 15 rec yds, 1 receptions against South Florida, Week 1, 2026.
22 REC YDS · 2 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
20257 games
- Signed with Florida International3-star out of College Station
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Florida International
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Willie Simmons — 8-7 over that span.
2025Florida International7-6HC: Willie Simmons · Balanced
2026Florida International1-1HC: Willie Simmons · Pass-leaning, fast tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the TE cohort
Box-score percentiles
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: 1.0 REC/g, 11.0 YDS/g, 11.0 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Willie Simmons
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.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Florida International | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Florida International | 10 | 101 | 10.1 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 12 | 123 | 10.2 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 33–20
vs Buffalo
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
Florida International
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Tight end · Florida International
Returning around him
- 32% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
- Transfer portal: -5 net (17 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Florida International · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #90 · 2026 recruiting class #102
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 Jacob Newell’s 2023 season.
Matches Jacob on
Total EPA (college ability)
EPA / play (adj)
TD rate
Differs from Jacob on
Weight (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Cedric Seabrough's freshman season at NC State (2022).
Matches Cedric on
Total EPA (college ability)
EPA / play (adj)
Yards / reception
Differs from Cedric on
Class year (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Jackson Verdugo
The tight end room · Florida International
- #9Jackson Verdugo101 receiving yards · 2025
- #88Kevin Schaefferno box-score line yet
- #4James Resar1 game · 2026
- #81Ayden Passleyno box-score line yet
- #19Davis Brownno box-score line yet
2 more on the roster · Florida International team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology