Cyler Christmas, Southeast Missouri State S: the 2026 season story
Cyler Christmas is a senior defensive back for Southeast Missouri State (OVC). He ranks 1439th of 1,841 defensive backs in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every defensive back 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. Cyler Christmas's strongest measure is interceptions per game at 0.09, 372nd of 921 (the average is 0.08). His weakest is passes defended per game at 0.00, 795th of 921 (the average is 0.31).
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, 3.6, ranks 418th among 921 ranked defensive backs.
Against every defensive back
Why it matters. Splitting the measures into how much, how well and how many big plays shows what kind of defensive back he is. Among ranked defensive backs he sits, on average, in the 55th percentile for volume, 14th for efficiency and 30th 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, Cyler Christmas's best came in week 3 against Central Arkansas and his quietest in week 7 against Western Illinois.
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. Cyler Christmas is 656th of 920 FCS defensive backs and 42nd of 66 in the OVC. Next up nationally is Zayveon Wells of South Carolina State, 0.00 ahead on the index.
Defensive backs 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 Ryan Largin of Presbyterian.
