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 | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 3 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 3 |
#13
Josh Fussell
Junior defensive back on Northwestern's 2026 roster.
6′0″ · 190 lb · West Chester, OH · Lakota West
CFB Index 49 · #190 of 364 cornersLow 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.
Recruiting
3★
CB recruit
No. 1220 nationally · Signed with Northwestern
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 defensive back on Northwestern's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Northwestern in 2023.
Josh Fussell
Erases the deep middle of the field. He has spent three seasons in the Northwestern secondary. The receipt on tape: 5 tackles against South Dakota State, Week 1, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 3 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2023
- Signed with Northwestern3-star out of Lakota West
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 defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low confidenceAscending
Elite: passes defended (99th percentile). 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: 5.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 3.0 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
49 · #190 of 364 corners
Three-star recruit. Now #190 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #47 of 77 Big Ten DBs
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 | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Northwestern | 29 | 16 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 9 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Northwestern | 39 | 30 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 5 | -- | -- |
| Career | 73 | 50 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 17 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 34–18
5 TOT · 4 SOLO · 3 PD
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
Single-high range who erases the deep middle of the field.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Northwestern
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive back · Northwestern
Returning around him
- 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
Centerfielder
Single-high range who erases the deep middle of the field.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Colton Hood’s 2024 season.
73%match
NFL Rd 2 · Pk 5
Matches Colton on
Weight
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Differs from Colton on
Class year (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Jonathan Pennix's sophomore season at Southern Miss (2025).
80%match
Matches Jonathan on
Class year
PD rate
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like Josh Fussell
Background
2025 Redshirt Sophomore: Earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors … Played in 11 games with 10 starts … Registered 32 total tackles, 18 solo tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss and a team-high nine pass breakups … Ranked third in the Big Ten in pass breakups and first among underclassmen in the conf...
The secondary · Northwestern
- #6Robert Fitzgerald106 tackles · 2025
- #9Braden Turner52 tackles · 2025
- #18Garner Wallace45 tackles · 2025
- #13Josh Fussell29 tackles · 2025
- #3Brenden Deasfernandes25 tackles · 2025
18 more on the roster · Northwestern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology