Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 45-24@ California | 8 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | Season-high 8 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 28-10vs San Diego State | 5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 1 | |
| Total | 13 | 4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2 | 1 |
#27
Ta'Shawn James
Junior defensive back for UCLA. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 211 lb · Oklahoma City, OK · Carl Albert HS / Iowa State
CFB Index 26 · #298 of 364 cornersLow confidenceTransferred Iowa State → UCLA 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.
The numbers
2
interceptions · 2026
1 PBU · 13 tackles · 0.5 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 INT, 8 tackles, at California
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 defensive back for UCLA. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Iowa State in 2023.
- Transferred from Iowa State to UCLA in 2026.
Ta'Shawn James
Erases the deep middle of the field. Two head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. One game to point at: 5 tackles, 0.5 sacks against San Diego State — Week 2, 2026.
13 TACKLES · 0.5 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
4 programs, one constant: he played.
20233 games
- Signed with Iowa State3-star out of Carl Albert
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
4 coachesPlayed under 4 different head coaches: Chip Kelly, Deshaun Foster, Tim Skipper, and Bob Chesney. Multi-era developmental context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to UCLA
2025Iowa State
2026UCLA
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Iowa State7-6HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced, slow tempo
2024Iowa State11-3HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced
2025Iowa State8-4HC: Matt Campbell · Run-leaning
2026UCLA2-0HC: Bob Chesney · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low confidence
Elite: interceptions (93rd percentile). Strength: qb hurries (83rd percentile). Concern: solo tackles (16th 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: 6.5 TKL/g, 0.2 TFL/g, 0.2 SACK/g, 0.5 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Bob Chesney
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
26 · #298 of 364 corners
Three-star recruit. Now #298 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UCLA | 13 | 4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 2 | -- |
| 2025 | Iowa State | 33 | 20 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Iowa State | 41 | 20 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Iowa State | 5 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 92 | 49 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 7 | 2 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 28–10
5 TOT · 1 SOLO · 0 SACKS
With C. Gerrand — 49 AVG · 2 IN 20 · 55 LONG · N. Iamaleava — 151 yds · 0 TD · 1 INT · QBR 31.0 · 57 rush yds (13 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Single-high range who erases the deep middle of the field.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Centerfielder
Single-high range who erases the deep middle of the field.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Ambe' Caldwell’s 2022 season.
Matches Ambe' on
Height
Tackle volume
Weight
Differs from Ambe' on
Class year (lower)
TFL rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Vicari Swain's junior season at South Carolina (2025).
Matches Vicari on
Class year
Tackle volume
PD rate
Differs from Vicari on
Weight (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Ta'Shawn James
Background
Career Summary Transferred to UCLA ahead of the 2026 campaign after spending his first three collegiate seasons at Iowa State (2023-25) … over 26 games at Iowa State (eight starts), posted 79 tackles, six pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble. 2025 (Iowa State) Saw action in...
The secondary · UCLA
- #4Cole Martin65 tackles · 2025
- #6Tao Johnson50 tackles · 2025
- #1Scooter Jackson44 tackles · 2025
- #32DJ Barksdale36 tackles · 2025
- #27Ta'Shawn James33 tackles · 2025
18 more on the roster · UCLA team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology