Mariano Birdno, Montana TE: the 2026 season story
Mariano Birdno is a junior tight end for Montana (Big Sky). He ranks 252nd of 305 tight ends in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every tight end 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. Mariano Birdno's strongest measure is target success rate at 52%, 77th of 169 (the average is 51%). His weakest is touchdowns per game at 0.0, 127th of 169 (the average is 0.2).
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 receiving yards per game, 10, ranks 147th among 169 ranked tight ends.
Against every tight end
Why it matters. Splitting the measures into how much, how well and how many big plays shows what kind of tight end he is. Among ranked tight ends he sits, on average, in the 24th percentile for volume, 28th for efficiency and 1st 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 10 games, Mariano Birdno's best came in week 3 at Oregon State and his quietest in week 6 at Northern Arizona.
When it matters
Why it matters. Plenty of players produce in easy situations; the ones who keep it up on third down and against good teams are the ones coaches trust.
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. Mariano Birdno is 98th of 136 FCS tight ends and 12th of 17 in the Big Sky. Next up nationally is Hayden Daugherty of Northern Arizona, 0.01 ahead on the index.
Tight ends 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 Brady Wagner of Yale.
