Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 34-18vs South Dakota State | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#24
Jamaal Johnson
Senior defensive lineman on Northwestern's 2026 roster.
6′2″ · 250 lb · Miami, FL · Chaminade-Madonna Prep
CFB Index 14 · #394 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceTransferred UCF → 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
0
sacks · 2026
2 tackles
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, vs South Dakota State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman on Northwestern's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to UCF in 2022.
- Transferred from UCF to Northwestern in 2026.
Jamaal Johnson
Holds up snap after snap without a weakness to attack. Three head coaches in five seasons, at two different programs. The receipt on tape: 2 tackles against South Dakota State, Week 1, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2022
- Signed with UCF3-star out of Chaminade-Madonna
202510 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
2 coaches2022
Northwestern
Coaching transition mid-career: Pat Fitzgerald → David Braun. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Northwestern
2025UCF
2026Northwestern
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022UCF9-5HC: Gus Malzahn · Run-leaning, fast tempo
2023UCF6-7HC: Gus Malzahn · Run-leaning
2024UCF4-8HC: Gus Malzahn · Run-heavy
2025UCF5-7HC: Scott Frost · Balanced
2026Northwestern1-0HC: David Braun · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
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: 2.0 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
David Braun
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 1 game in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
14 · #394 of 420 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #394 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Northwestern | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | UCF | 24 | 13 | 1.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | UCF | 9 | 6 | 2.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | UCF | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | UCF | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 38 | 22 | 3.5 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 34–18
2 TOT · 2 SOLO
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
No single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Versatile End
No single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Donovan Ezeiruaku’s 2023 season.
85%match
NFL Rd 2 · Pk 12
Matches Donovan on
Sack rate
TFL rate
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Jeff Pietrowski's senior season at Wisconsin (2023).
94%match
Matches Jeff on
Class year
Height
Sack rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Jamaal Johnson
Background
2025 Redshirt Junior (at UCF): Played in all 12 games for the Knights … Tallied a career-high 24 tackles, including 11 solo … Recorded 1.5 tackles for loss … Was part of UCF's Big 12 Defensive Line of the Week nod following the 45-13 win over West Virginia (10/18); the defensive line accounted fo...
The defensive line · Northwestern
- #47Michael Kilbane7.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #90Carmine Bastone4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #24Jamaal Johnson1.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #95Najee Story1 tackle for loss · 2025
- #52Richie Hagarty1 tackle for loss · 2025
22 more on the roster · Northwestern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology