cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Juwon Gaston /Middle Tennessee

Juwon Gaston

S · Middle Tennessee · Sr · #22

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

37 TACKLES · 0.5 SACKS

IN PORTALIn transfer portal — destination TBD (from Middle Tennessee)

In Portal · 2026

In transfer portal

2025Middle Tennessee
DestinationTBD

S · MIDDLE TENNESSEE · CONFERENCE USA

Juwon Gaston

  • 4
  • #22
  • 5-11 | 188 lb
  • Montgomery, AL

CFB Zeitgeist Score

64

Solid starter in the position cohort. Carried by interceptions at the 90th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#11855

<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
★★★
#626 national
CFB
College
2 teams
2023–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

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

PositionS
Class4
Jersey22
Measurements5-11 | 188 lb
HometownMontgomery, AL
Primary teamMiddle Tennessee

Recruiting Pedigree

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

Top pedigree 3-star No. 101 recruit
Composite rating 0.8467 JUCO
Signed with Houston 2023
Origin Northeast Mississippi C.C. Montgomery, AL, USA
Class Profile Context
2023 3-star | 0.8467 No. 101 recruit | JUCO | Houston
2021 3-star | 0.8733 No. 626 recruit | HighSchool

Transfer Arc

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

Portal moves 2 Programs changed on file
Latest destination -- 2026
Transfer stars 3-star CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility Immediate Jan 13, 2026
Season Move Context
2026 Middle Tennessee -> -- 3-star | Immediate
2025 Houston -> -- 3-star | Immediate

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#11855Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#12041Where 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 Houston

Composite

0.8467

#101 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 Juwon Gaston

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 Juwon Gaston

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

projecting to 13-game
Through 9g
37Tackles
1.5Tackles for loss
0.5Sacks
Per game
4Tackles
0.2Tackles for loss
0.1Sacks
Projected (13g)
53Tackles
2.2Tackles for loss
0.7Sacks

To hit 80-tackle season (currently 37): needs 10.8/game over remaining 4.

To hit 100-tackle season (currently 37): needs 15.8/game over remaining 4.

To hit 6-sack season (currently 0.5): needs 1.4/game over remaining 4.

To hit 10-sack season (currently 0.5): needs 2.4/game over remaining 4.

Why this is a rare defensive case

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

Juwon Gaston is trying to climb the steepest award hill in college football: a defensive candidacy. The hook is the disruption profile on Middle Tennessee's defense, with 0.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 3 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 #11855 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load -- Role share still loading
Profile quirk Transfer path 2 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 37 23 solo | #1007/4942 (80th pct)
TFL 1.5 Backfield disruption | #1771/4972 (64th pct)
Sacks 0.5 Pass-rush finish | #1501/4972 (70th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

Coverage splash | High-volume tackler against FBS defenders.

Coverage splashHigh-volume tackler

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Tackling & Disruption

TOT
37 80th
SOLO
23 82nd
TFL
1.5 64th
SACK
0.5 70th
QBH
1 44th

Coverage & Takeaways

PD
4 84th
INT
3 94th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 9 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppTKLSOLOTFLSACKINTPDNote
Wk 1L 14-34vs Austin Peay640.00.00
Wk 2L 10-42@ Wisconsin311.00.00
Wk 3W 14-13@ Nevada430.00.020
Wk 4L 28-42vs Marshall840.50.52Season-high 8 tackles
Wk 5L 16-24@ Kennesaw State430.00.00
Wk 11L 30-56vs Florida International100.00.00
Wk 12L 26-42@ Western Kentucky110.00.01
Wk 13W 31-17vs Sam Houston640.00.01
Wk 14W 31-24@ New Mexico State430.00.010
Total37231.50.534
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

2023Houston4-8HC: Dana Holgorsen · Balanced
2024Houston4-8HC: Dana Holgorsen · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2025Middle Tennessee3-9HC: Derek Mason · Pass-leaning
SeasonTeam
2025Middle Tennessee37231.50.543--
2024Houston1361.00.0------
2023Houston19131.00.0------
Career3 loaded seasons69423.50.543--
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 3 0 pick-six TD | #56/869 (94th pct)
Pass breakups 4 Coverage disruption | #340/2184 (84th pct)
QB pressures 1 Quarterback hurries | #1051/1878 (44th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Defense Total tackles 37 #1007/4942 80th pct Volumevs FBS DEF
Defense TFL 1.5 #1771/4972 64th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Sacks 0.5 #1501/4972 70th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Interceptions 3 #56/869 94th pct Takeawaysvs FBS DEF
Defense Pass breakups 4 #340/2184 84th pct Coveragevs FBS DEF
Defense QB hurries 1 #1051/1878 44th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense INT return yards 30 #216/578 63rd pct Takeawaysvs FBS DEF
Defense Solo tackles 23 #839/4584 82nd pct Volumevs FBS DEF
Defense INT return avg 10.0 #361/578 38th pct Takeawaysvs 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 · 9 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Home4g5.20.10.10.8
Road5g3.20.20.00.2

Win vs Loss

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Wins3g4.70.00.00.3
Losses6g3.80.20.10.5

First half vs Second half

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Weeks 1-75g5.00.30.10.4
Weeks 8+4g3.00.00.00.5

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

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the S cohort

64Solid starter
7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: interceptions (89th). Strength: passes defended (85th).

Interceptions#56 / 817 · 90th pct
3inte
Passes defended#340 / 2975 · 86th pct
4defe
Solo tackles#839 / 2975 · 71st pct
23defe
Tackles#1007 / 2975 · 65th pct
37defe
QB hurries#1007 / 2975 · 55th pct
1defe
Sacks#1367 / 2975 · 51st pct
0.5defe
Tackles for loss#1711 / 2975 · 39th pct
1.5defe

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

Advanced Savant · S · 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 · 7 metrics
Juwon GastonMiddle TennesseeDalton JohnsonArizona· 79% simDevin LafayetteTroy· 77% simAndon ThomasArmy· 74% sim
Interceptions
90
Gaston
95
Johnson
75
Lafayette
Passes defended
86
Gaston
96
Johnson
91
Lafayette
91
Thomas
Solo tackles
71
Gaston
97
Johnson
98
Lafayette
100
Thomas
Tackles
65
Gaston
98
Johnson
99
Lafayette
99
Thomas
QB hurries
55
Gaston
22
Johnson
22
Lafayette
82
Thomas
Sacks
51
Gaston
63
Johnson
63
Lafayette
51
Thomas
Tackles for loss
39
Gaston
47
Johnson
56
Lafayette
73
Thomas

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

Player DNA

The Centerfielder

Single-high range who erases the deep middle of the field.

S

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Kyndrich Breedlove’s 2024 season.

Kyndrich Breedlove

88%match

Purdue · 2024

#2

Gregory Rubin

Memphis · 2022

85%
#3

Jayden Williams

Florida Atlantic · 2022

84%
#4

Camron Harrell

Southern Miss · 2021

83%
#5

Chris Smith

Georgia · 2021

85%

Matches Kyndrich on

Interceptions
PD rate
Tackle volume

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Kyndrich Breedlove's junior season at Purdue (2024).

Kyndrich Breedlove

93%match

Purdue · 2024

#2

Elijah Gates

Fresno State · 2022

88%
#3

Jalen Mcmurray

Temple · 2023

88%
#4

Sage Ryan

LSU · 2023

88%
#5

Nicktroy Fortune

UTSA · 2022

87%

Matches Kyndrich on

Class year
Height
PD rate

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Derek Mason

Pass share

61.3%

495 pass / 313 run

Plays / game

67.3

12 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

8.6%

373 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Pass-leaning.

Coaching Lineage · 2023–2025

2 coaches
2023
Rick Stockstill
Middle Tennessee
2024
Derek Mason
Middle Tennessee
era →
2025
Derek Mason
Middle Tennessee

Coaching transition mid-career: Rick Stockstill → Derek Mason. Worth noting in scheme + development context.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

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

HometownMontgomery, AL
Height5'11"
Weight188 lb
Class4
PositionS
Jersey22

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 Houston S4 #11855 #12041 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | Big 12
2023 Houston S4 #14391 #14508 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | Big 12

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Middle Tennessee Conference USA S 4 No. 22 | 5-11 | 188 lb | Montgomery, AL
2024 Houston Big 12 S 4 No. 22 | 5-11 | 188 lb | Montgomery, AL
2023 Houston Big 12 S 4 No. 22 | 5-11 | 188 lb | Montgomery, AL