DJ Darling, New Mexico WR: the 2026 season story
DJ Darling is a freshman wide receiver for New Mexico (Mountain West). He ranks 901st of 988 wide receivers in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every wide receiver 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. DJ Darling's strongest measure is target share at 15%, 270th of 485 (the average is 17%). His weakest is catch rate at 30%, 483rd of 485 (the average is 61%).
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, 15, ranks 468th among 485 ranked wide receivers.
Against every wide receiver
Why it matters. Splitting the measures into how much, how well and how many big plays shows what kind of wide receiver he is. Among ranked wide receivers he sits, on average, in the 24th percentile for volume, 4th for efficiency and 19th 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 8 games, DJ Darling's best came in week 5 against UTEP and his quietest in week 4 at New Mexico State.
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. DJ Darling is 471st of 485 FBS wide receivers and 29th of 29 in the Mountain West. Next up nationally is AJ Jones of Middle Tennessee, 0.00 ahead on the index.
Wide receivers 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 Damir Abdullah of The Citadel.
