CFB Zeitgeist Score
70
Solid starter in the position cohort. Carried by sacks at the 80th percentile.
Shay Taylor
Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.
62 TACKLES · 2 SACKS
2026 Outlook
Returning to Charlotte for 2026
2026 Depth chart
Returning starter
Linebacker · Charlotte
Returning around him
- 24% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- Transfer portal: -8 net (19 in / 27 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Charlotte · Last season: 1-11 · Talent rank #108 · 2026 recruiting class #135
LB · CHARLOTTE · AMERICAN ATHLETIC
Shay Taylor
- 4
- #35
- 6-3 | 235 lb
- Mount Perry, OH
Heisman Heat
#5933
<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 LB AWARD
Butkus
—
CONSENSUS
All-American
—
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 2 · StarterR05 · Part-time starter
Part-time starter. Splitting first-team reps.
Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career arc · Season-by-season Standing
4 seasons on the ladder
2022
Ohio · LB
—
2023
Ohio · LB
—
★
2024
Ohio · LB
R09 · All-Conference HM / 2nd team
Recognized
2025
Charlotte · LB
—
Career Arc
HS
Recruit
★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Identity & Role
The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.
Recruiting Pedigree
How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.
| Class | Profile | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2-star | 0.7904 | No. 2576 recruit | HighSchool | Ohio |
Transfer Arc
Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.
| Season | Move | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ohio -> Charlotte | 3-star | 0.8600 | 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 16Heisman 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 Ohio
Composite
0.7904
#2576 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
PENDINGThe 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 Shay Taylor
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 Shay Taylor
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.
Season Pace · Projection
Where the defensive totals stand
Through 10g
62Tackles
5.5Tackles for loss
2Sacks
Per game
6Tackles
0.6Tackles for loss
0.2Sacks
Projected (13g)
81Tackles
7.2Tackles for loss
2.6Sacks
To hit 80-tackle season (currently 62): needs 6/game over remaining 3.
To hit 100-tackle season (currently 62): needs 12.7/game over remaining 3.
To hit 6-sack season (currently 2): needs 1.3/game over remaining 3.
To hit 10-sack season (currently 2): needs 2.7/game over remaining 3.
Why this is a rare defensive case
The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.
Shay Taylor is trying to climb the steepest award hill in college football: a defensive candidacy. The hook is the disruption profile on Charlotte's defense, with 2.0 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, and -- 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.
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
Player identity What kind of player is this?
30-second read
What kind of player is this?
High-disruption defender | High-volume tackler against FBS defenders.
2025 Season · Final
2025 season snapshot | final
Tackling & Disruption
TOT
62 92nd
SOLO
30 89th
TFL
5.5 90th
SACK
2.0 90th
QBH
6 94th
Game Log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 10 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 11-34vs App State | 7 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 3-20vs North Carolina | 5 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 42-35vs Monmouth | 7 | 2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 4 | L 17-28vs Rice | 7 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 6 | L 26-54@ South Florida | 6 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 8 | L 14-49vs Temple | 3 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 9 | L 20-54vs North Texas | 6 | 4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 11 | L 22-48@ East Carolina | 7 | 3 | 1.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 12 | L 7-28vs UTSA | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 14 | L 0-27@ Tulane | 10 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 10 tackles |
| Total | 62 | 30 | 5.5 | 2.0 | — | 0 |
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score
Traditional history
Traditional Stats
Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.
Season context · Team result + system
2022Ohio10-4HC: Tim Albin · Balanced
2023Ohio10-3HC: Tim Albin · Run-leaning
2024Ohio11-3HC: Tim Albin · Run-heavy
2025Charlotte1-11HC: Tim Albin · Balanced, slow tempo
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context
Advanced metrics second
Advanced Metrics
Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.
TFL, sacks, and QB hurries are grouped together because defensive Heisman cases are usually built on visible havoc, not on tackle counts alone.
Pass breakups, interceptions, and forced fumbles matter because national awards voters respond to plays that change possessions and highlight reels.
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.
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.
Open full stat explorer
| Group | Metric | Value | Rank | Pct | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defense | Total tackles | 62 | #373/4942 | 92nd pct | Volumevs FBS DEF |
| Defense | TFL | 5.5 | #477/4972 | 90th pct | Disruptionvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Sacks | 2.0 | #491/4972 | 90th pct | Disruptionvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | QB hurries | 6 | #117/1878 | 94th pct | Disruptionvs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Solo tackles | 30 | #515/4584 | 89th pct | Volumevs FBS DEF |
| Defense | Fumbles recovered | 1 | #103/736 | 86th pct | Takeawaysvs FBS DEF |
| Ball Security | Fumbles lost | 0 | #1/773 | 100th pct | Turnoversvs 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
Status—Awaiting tracker
The Butkus 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 · 10 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home7g | 5.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Road3g | 7.7 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
Win vs Loss
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wins1g | 7.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Losses9g | 6.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-75g | 6.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+5g | 6.0 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.
Savant · Box-rate percentiles
Where this profile ranks vs the LB cohort
70Solid starter
Elite: qb hurries (94th). Strength: tackles (87th). Concern: passes defended (17th).
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Advanced Savant · LB · 2024
Percentile Card
Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.
P4G5All FBS
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
Shay TaylorCharlotteMarcAnthony ParkerNavy· 93% simEthan WesloskiNorth Texas· 91% simMicah DaveyUTEP· 88% sim
QB hurries
Tackles
Tackles for loss
Solo tackles
Sacks
Forced fumbles
Passes defended
Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.
Player DNA
The Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Dariel Djabome’s 2025 season.
Dariel Djabome
84%match
#2
Christian Taylor
83%
#3
Brandon George
82%
#4
Trevor Brohard
82%
#5
Jeremiah Brown
81%
Matches Dariel on
Sack rate
TFL rate
Weight
Differs from Dariel on
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Dariel Djabome's senior season at Rutgers (2025).
Dariel Djabome
87%match
All-Big Ten
#2
Jamal Ligon
All-Conference USA
84%
#3
Ernest Hausmann
All-Big Ten
84%
#4
Alex Afari Jr.
84%
#5
Sam Howard
All-AAC
84%
Matches Dariel on
Sack rate
Weight
TFL rate
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Tim Albin
Pass share
51.4%
379 pass / 358 run
Plays / game
61.4
12 games
OL sack rate (allowed)
8.9%
302 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced, slow tempo.
Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025
3 coaches2022
Peter Rossomando
Charlotte
2023era →
Biff Poggi
Charlotte
2024
Biff Poggi
Charlotte
2025era →
Tim Albin
Charlotte
Played under 3 different head coaches: Peter Rossomando, Biff Poggi, and Tim Albin. Multi-era developmental context.
Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster
Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.
HometownMount Perry, OH
Height6'3"
Weight235 lb
Class4
PositionLB
Jersey35
No fields populated yet.
No fields populated yet.
Current teamCharlotte
ConferenceAmerican Athletic
Joined2025
Career arc4 season(s)
Trophy Case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-CONFERENCE
All-Conf mention (2024)
All-MAC
Trophy Case · Detail
Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.
1 all-conference honor
Conference-level recognition helps anchor whether a player is merely statistically loud or actually viewed as elite within his competitive lane.
Honors Timeline
Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.
| Season | Honor | Scope | Team / Selector | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | All-MAC | all_conference | Ohio | MAC | LB |
Heisman By Year
Modeled rank and official finish by season.
Roster Timeline
Team, conference, and class by season.
| Season | Team | Conference | Pos | Class | Bio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Charlotte | American Athletic | LB | 4 | No. 35 | 6-3 | 235 lb | Mount Perry, OH |
| 2024 | Ohio | Mid-American | LB | 4 | No. 35 | 6-3 | 235 lb | Mount Perry, OH |
| 2023 | Ohio | Mid-American | LB | 4 | No. 35 | 6-3 | 235 lb | Mount Perry, OH |
| 2022 | Ohio | Mid-American | LB | 4 | No. 35 | 6-3 | 235 lb | Mount Perry, OH |