Ean Johnson-Kelley, Mercer DL: the 2026 season story
Ean Johnson-Kelley is a sophomore defensive lineman for Mercer (Southern). He ranks 1070th of 1,709 defensive linemen in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every defensive lineman on the measures that matter at the position, adjusted for the opponents he faced.
Scouting report
Why it matters. Knowing the one or two things a player does best, and where he is ordinary, says more than any single total. Ean Johnson-Kelley's strongest measure is passes defended per game at 0.07, 366th of 892 (the average is 0.08). His weakest is QB hurries per game at 0.06, 656th of 892 (the average is 0.26).
Season production
Why it matters. Totals reward staying healthy and getting the ball; per-game numbers show how much he really carries each week. His tackles per game, 2.0, ranks 588th among 892 ranked defensive linemen.
Against every defensive lineman
Why it matters. Splitting the measures into how much, how well and how many big plays shows what kind of defensive lineman he is. Among ranked defensive linemen he sits, on average, in the 34th percentile for volume and 41st for impact.
The season, game by game
Why it matters. A season average can hide a player who is great one week and absent the next; game by game shows how dependable he is. Over 9 games, Ean Johnson-Kelley's best came in week 2 against Furman and his quietest in week 1 against East Texas A&M.
Where he does his damage
Why it matters. Where and how a player makes his plays shows how his team uses him and what a defense has to take away.
National and conference
Why it matters. A national rank shows how a player stacks up beyond his own league, where the competition can be very different. Ean Johnson-Kelley is 444th of 817 FCS defensive linemen and 38th of 72 in the Southern. Next up nationally is Gensley Auguste of Delaware State, 0.00 ahead on the index.
Defensive linemen like him
Why it matters. Comparing a player with his closest statistical matches puts his season in context beyond the rankings. His closest match this season is Logan Goodspeed of Fresno State.
