cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Jalen Mcmurray /Tennessee

Jalen Mcmurray

DB · Tennessee · Sr · #6

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

56 TACKLES · 2 SACKS

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Tennessee for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Tennessee for 2026

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Defensive back · Tennessee

Returning around him

  • 22% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
  • 5 Tennessee players drafted to NFL
  • Transfer portal: -8 net (21 in / 29 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Tennessee · Last season: 8-5 (AP #18) · Talent rank #16 · 2026 recruiting class #11

DB · TENNESSEE · SEC

Jalen Mcmurray

  • 4
  • #6
  • 6-0 | 187 lb
  • Upper Marlboro, MD

CFB Zeitgeist Score

83

All-Conference in the position cohort. Carried by sacks at the 80th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#3864

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP DB AWARD

Jim Thorpe

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R07 · Impact starter

Impact starter. Producing measurable value above replacement.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★
#2280 national
CFB
College
2 teams
2021–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionDB
Class4
Jersey6
Measurements6-0 | 187 lb
HometownUpper Marlboro, MD
Primary teamTennessee

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree 3-star No. 2280 recruit
Composite rating 0.8081 HighSchool
Signed with Temple 2021
Origin Gonzaga Upper Marlboro, MD, USA
Class Profile Context
2021 3-star | 0.8081 No. 2280 recruit | HighSchool | Temple

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 0 No portal entry on file
Latest destination -- --
Transfer stars -- CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility -- Transfer date TBD
Season Move Context
No transfer portal moves on file for this player.

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#3864Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#3691Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

No achievements unlocked yet this season.

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft

Market value, pedigree & pro outcome

Recruit stars

★★★☆☆

to Temple

Composite

0.8081

#2280 national

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Jalen Mcmurray

Fan sentiment · Awaiting signal

The Room reads fan conversation around a player — who’s talking, what they believe, and how that shifts. It publishes once weekly volume rebuilds; for most players that’s in-season, when game-week chatter spikes.

Cohort divergence map

Cohort divergence reads how different fanbases talk about this player. Returns once weekly mentions clear the publish floor.

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Jalen Mcmurray

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the defensive totals stand

final
Through 13g
56Tackles
6Tackles for loss
2Sacks
Per game
4Tackles
0.5Tackles for loss
0.2Sacks
Final
56Tackles
6Tackles for loss
2Sacks

Why this is a rare defensive case

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

Jalen Mcmurray is trying to climb the steepest award hill in college football: a defensive candidacy. The hook is the disruption profile on Tennessee's defense, with 2.0 sacks, 6.0 tackles for loss, and -- interceptions through the current loaded season. For a defender, the question is never just production; it is whether elite disruption and team context can become nationally undeniable.

Current place #3864 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load -- Role share still loading
Profile quirk Transfer path 0 portal moves

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

DEF season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Total tackles 56 32 solo | #468/4942 (91st pct)
TFL 6.0 Backfield disruption | #406/4972 (92nd pct)
Sacks 2.0 Pass-rush finish | #491/4972 (90th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

High-disruption defender | Coverage splash | High-volume tackler against FBS defenders.

High-disruption defenderCoverage splashHigh-volume tackler

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Tackling & Disruption

TOT
56 91st
SOLO
32 90th
TFL
6.0 92nd
SACK
2.0 90th
QBH
2 66th

Coverage & Takeaways

PD
5 90th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 13 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppTKLSOLOTFLSACKINTPDNote
Wk 1W 45-26vs Syracuse741.01.01Season-high 7 tackles
Wk 2W 72-17vs East Tennessee State330.00.00
Wk 3L 41-44vs Georgia750.00.00
Wk 4W 56-24vs UAB622.00.51
Wk 5W 41-34@ Mississippi State541.00.01
Wk 7W 34-31vs Arkansas210.50.50
Wk 8L 20-37@ Alabama320.00.00
Wk 9W 56-34@ Kentucky530.00.00
Wk 10L 27-33vs Oklahoma530.00.00
Wk 12W 42-9vs New Mexico State511.50.00
Wk 13W 31-11@ Florida100.00.00
Wk 14L 24-45vs Vanderbilt530.00.00
BowlL 28-30@ Illinois210.00.02
Total56326.02.05
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2021Temple3-9HC: Rod Carey · Balanced, slow tempo
2022Temple3-9HC: Stan Drayton · Pass-leaning
2023Temple3-9HC: Stan Drayton · Pass-leaning
2024Tennessee10-3HC: Josh Heupel · Run-heavy, fast tempo
2025Tennessee8-5HC: Josh Heupel · Balanced
SeasonTeam
2025Tennessee56326.02.05----
2024Tennessee14120.00.04----
2023Temple38241.50.04----
2022Temple49331.00.071--
2021Temple220.00.0------
Career5 loaded seasons1591038.52.0201--
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Disruption stats

TFL, sacks, and QB hurries are grouped together because defensive Heisman cases are usually built on visible havoc, not on tackle counts alone.

Coverage splash

Pass breakups, interceptions, and forced fumbles matter because national awards voters respond to plays that change possessions and highlight reels.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

INT -- -- pick-six TD
Pass breakups 5 Coverage disruption | #218/2184 (90th pct)
QB pressures 2 Quarterback hurries | #647/1878 (66th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Defense Total tackles 56 #468/4942 91st pct Volumevs FBS DEF
Defense TFL 6.0 #406/4972 92nd pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Sacks 2.0 #491/4972 90th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Pass breakups 5 #218/2184 90th pct Coveragevs FBS DEF
Defense QB hurries 2 #647/1878 66th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Solo tackles 32 #448/4584 90th pct Volumevs FBS DEF

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

The Thorpe award tracker integrates per-week probability once a dedicated scraper for this award lands. Confirmed past winners and finalists for this player will surface here.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 13 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Home8g5.00.60.20.2
Road5g3.20.20.00.6

Win vs Loss

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Wins8g4.20.80.20.4
Losses5g4.40.00.00.4

First half vs Second half

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Weeks 1-77g4.60.60.30.7
Weeks 8+6g4.00.20.00.0

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the DB cohort

83All-Conference
6 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: passes defended (90th). Strength: tackles for loss (85th).

Passes defended#218 / 2975 · 91st pct
5defe
Tackles for loss#406 / 2975 · 85th pct
6.0defe
Solo tackles#448 / 2975 · 84th pct
32defe
Tackles#468 / 2975 · 84th pct
56defe
Sacks#487 / 2975 · 80th pct
2.0defe
QB hurries#634 / 2975 · 72nd pct
2defe

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Advanced Savant · DB · 2024

Percentile Card

Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

Advanced opponent-adjusted metrics are coming soon for this player. Selected cohort: P4.

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 6 metrics
Jalen McmurrayTennesseeColton PharesApp State· 90% simGavin MoulDelaware· 90% simMarsel McDuffieUNLV· 90% sim
Passes defended
91
Mcmurray
78
Phares
78
Moul
78
McDuffie
Tackles for loss
85
Mcmurray
96
Phares
90
Moul
83
McDuffie
Solo tackles
84
Mcmurray
95
Phares
98
Moul
99
McDuffie
Tackles
84
Mcmurray
98
Phares
99
Moul
99
McDuffie
Sacks
80
Mcmurray
80
Phares
80
Moul
80
McDuffie
QB hurries
72
Mcmurray
72
Phares
72
Moul
72
McDuffie

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Hybrid Nickel

Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.

S

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Kapena Gushiken’s 2025 season.

Kapena Gushiken

95%match

Ole Miss · 2025

#2

Abraham Camara

TCU · 2024

88%
#3

Camryn Bracha

Fresno State · 2025

86%
#4

Elliott Davison

UTSA · 2024

84%
#5

Jeremy Smith

Marshall · 2025

84%

Matches Kapena on

Class year
Height
PD rate

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a graduate, his production profile tracks closest to Caleb Spann's graduate season at Central Michigan (2025).

Caleb Spann

89%match

Central Michigan · 2025

#2

Jeremy Smith

Marshall · 2025

88%
#3

De'Shawn Rucker

South Florida · 2025

86%
#4

Avante Dickerson

Arkansas State · 2025

84%
#5

Jerrin Thompson

Auburn · 2024

84%

Matches Caleb on

Class year
Height
Tackle volume

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Josh Heupel

Pass share

47.3%

437 pass / 486 run

Plays / game

71.0

13 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

5.4%

334 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Balanced.

Coaching Lineage · 2021–2025

1 coach
2021
Josh Heupel
Tennessee
2022
Josh Heupel
Tennessee
2023
Josh Heupel
Tennessee
2024
Josh Heupel
Tennessee
2025
Josh Heupel
Tennessee

Played his entire career under Josh Heupel.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownUpper Marlboro, MD
Height6'0"
Weight187 lb
Class4
PositionDB
Jersey6

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

No formal honors on the ledger yet

All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned.

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Tennessee DB4 #3864 #3691 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | SEC
2023 Temple DB4 #15009 #15203 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | American Athletic
2022 Temple DB4 #11717 #11944 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | American Athletic
2021 Temple DB4 #13725 #13731 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | American Athletic

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Tennessee SEC DB 4 No. 6 | 6-0 | 187 lb | Upper Marlboro, MD
2024 Tennessee SEC DB 4 No. 6 | 6-0 | 187 lb | Upper Marlboro, MD
2023 Temple American Athletic DB 4 No. 6 | 6-0 | 187 lb | Upper Marlboro, MD
2022 Temple American Athletic DB 4 No. 6 | 6-0 | 187 lb | Upper Marlboro, MD
2021 Temple American Athletic DB 4 No. 6 | 6-0 | 187 lb | Upper Marlboro, MD