Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 0-57@ South Carolina | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 | Season-high 16 yds |
| Total | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 |
#3
Jay Jay Etheridge
Junior wide receiver for Kent State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
5′10″ · 150 lb · Cincinnati, OH · Mt. Healthy HS
Returning to Kent State for 2026
The numbers
16
receiving yards · 2026
1 catches · 16 per catch
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 rec, 16 yds, at South Carolina
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 wide receiver for Kent State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kent State in 2024.
Jay Jay Etheridge
Moves the chains on third down. Three seasons at Kent State, two different head coaches: Kenni Burns and Mark Carney. One game to point at: 16 rec yds, 1 receptions against South Carolina — Week 1, 2026.
16 REC YDS · 1 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
20246 games
- Signed with Kent State3-star out of Mt. Healthy
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Kent State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
Kenni Burns
Kent State
2025–2026era →
Mark Carney
Kent State
Coaching transition mid-career: Kenni Burns → Mark Carney. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Kent State0-12HC: Kenni Burns · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Kent State5-7HC: Mark Carney · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2026Kent State1-1HC: Mark Carney · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the WR 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 1 game: 1.0 REC/g, 16.0 YDS/g, 16.0 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Mark Carney
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 | Kent State | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Kent State | 4 | 30 | 7.5 | 0 | -- |
| 2024 | Kent State | 14 | 137 | 9.8 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 19 | 183 | 9.6 | 1 | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Kent State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Wide receiver · Kent State
Returning around him
- 64% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- Transfer portal: -4 net (11 in / 15 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Kent State · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #130 · 2026 recruiting class #122
DNA match
Player DNA
Possession Receiver
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
WR
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Josiah Martin’s 2024 season.
Matches Josiah on
Weight
Yards / reception
Height
Differs from Josiah on
TD rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Orion Peters's freshman season at Washington State (2022).
Matches Orion on
TD rate
Total EPA (college ability)
Height
Player DNA
Players who play like Jay Jay Etheridge
Background
2025 (Sophomore) Played in 9 games with 4 receptions for 30 yards Averaged 7.5 yards per catch Had a long reception of 9 yards 2024 (Freshman) Appeared in 10 total games for the Golden Flashes Recorded 137 receiving yards and 1 touchdown on the season Had his season high of 64 yards at Buffalo Pr...
The receiver room · Kent State
- #6Wayne Harris383 receiving yards · 2025
- #1Ardell Banks205 receiving yards · 2025
- #8Da'Realyst Clark108 receiving yards · 2025
- #3Jay Jay Etheridge30 receiving yards · 2025
- #86Matthew Maxey10 receiving yards · 2025
11 more on the roster · Kent State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology