Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 87-3vs Wagner | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#45
Lee Johnson
2nd-year linebacker for James Madison. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 225 lb · Richmond Hill, GA · Richmond Hill
Returning to James Madison for 2026
The numbers
2
tackles · 2026
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, vs Wagner
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 linebacker for James Madison. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed with James Madison in 2025.
- 2 tackles in 2025. Then 2 in 2026.
Lee Johnson
Lee Johnson has played for two head coaches in two seasons at James Madison. The receipt: 2 tackles against Wagner — Week 2, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2025
- Signed with James Madisonout of Richmond Hill
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
James Madison
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2025–2026
2 coaches2025
Bob Chesney
James Madison
Coaching transition mid-career: Bob Chesney → Billy Napier. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
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
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
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
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | James Madison | 2 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | James Madison | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 87–3
vs Wagner
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
James Madison
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · 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
Background
2025: JMU's Doug West Scout Team Defensive MVP Played in four games Had two tackles (one solo) vs. App State (Nov. 15) High School: 6A All-State selection as a senior 2024 Region 1 Defensive Player of the Year First Team All-Region as a senior, Second Team as a junior and Honorable Mention as a s...
The linebacker corps · James Madison
- #2Nakian Jackson51 tackles · 2025
- #3Gannon Weathersby50 tackles · 2025
- #26Jayden Studio8 tackles · 2025
- #45Lee Johnson2 tackles · 2025
- #12Lathan Croley1 game · 2026
3 more on the roster · James Madison team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology