Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 20-13vs Liberty | 7 | 6 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 7 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 87-3vs Wagner | 7 | 5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 14 | 11 | 2.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#23
Ken Willis
5th-year cornerback on James Madison's 2026 roster.
5′10″ · 185 lb · Cincinnati, OH · Colerain
CFB Index 41 · #354 of 538 safetiesLow confidenceReturning to James Madison 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.
How he projects
Doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play.
Grades highest in speed and play recognition.
The full scouting readRecruiting
3★
CB recruit
No. 1307 nationally · Signed with Cincinnati
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 cornerback on James Madison's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Cincinnati in 2022.
- Transferred from Cincinnati to James Madison in 2025.
Ken Willis
Doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. Three head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. The receipt: 7 tackles, 1 sacks against Wagner — Week 2, 2026.
14 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2022
- Signed with Cincinnati3-star out of Colerain
20254 games
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
3 coaches2023
Damian Wroblewski
James Madison
2024–2025era →
Bob Chesney
James Madison
Played under 3 different head coaches: Damian Wroblewski, Bob Chesney, and Billy Napier. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Cincinnati3-9HC: Scott Satterfield · Run-leaning
2024Cincinnati5-7HC: Scott Satterfield · Balanced
2025James Madison12-2HC: Bob Chesney · Run-heavy
2026James Madison2-0HC: Billy Napier · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Elite: solo tackles (92nd percentile). Strength: sacks (87th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
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 2 games: 7.0 TKL/g, 1.0 TFL/g, 0.5 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Billy Napier
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | James Madison | 14 | 11 | 2.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | James Madison | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Cincinnati | 7 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Cincinnati | 23 | 12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | 2 | -- |
| Career | 50 | 34 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1 | 2 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 87–3
vs Wagner
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Steady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
James Madison
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Cornerback · James Madison
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +6 net (37 in / 31 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
James Madison · Last season: 12-2 (AP #19) · Talent rank #101 · 2026 recruiting class #80
DNA match
Player DNA
Cover Corner
Steady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play.
CB
His 2026 production profile sits closest to TaRiq Bracy’s 2021 season.
Matches TaRiq on
Weight
Tackle volume
PD rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Andrew Duhart's senior season at Navy (2025).
Matches Andrew on
Class year
Height
PD rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Ken Willis
Background
2025: Played in all 14 games Had seven tackles (four solo) to go with one pass breakup Season-high three tackles and a PBU vs. App State (Nov. 15) JMU Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete (Spring 2026) 2024 at Cincinnati: Played in all 12 games Had seven tackles (all solo) Made a pair of tackles v...
The secondary · James Madison
- #7Javis Mynatt30 tackles · 2025
- #16TJ McGill12 tackles · 2025
- #6DJ Kelly10 tackles · 2025
- #22Chase Regan6 tackles · 2025
- #23Ken Willis6 tackles · 2025
17 more on the roster · James Madison team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology