Ckelby Givens, Southern DE: the 2026 season story
Ckelby Givens is a senior defensive lineman for Southern (SWAC). He ranks 276th 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. Every measure is set against every ranked defensive lineman, so a strength here is a strength against the whole position, not just his own team. Ckelby Givens's strongest measure is tackles for loss per game at 0.76, 110th of 892 (the average is 0.40). His weakest is passes defended per game at 0.00, 372nd of 892 (the average is 0.08).
Season production
Why it matters. Volume is the first sign of how much a coaching staff trusts a player. His tackles per game, 2.0, ranks 624th among 892 ranked defensive linemen.
Against every defensive lineman
Why it matters. Volume, efficiency and impact plays can tell different stories: a player can be busy without being effective, or rarely used but dangerous every time. Among ranked defensive linemen he sits, on average, in the 30th percentile for volume and 57th for impact.
The season, game by game
Why it matters. Consistency matters to a team: one huge game and five quiet ones is a different season from six solid ones. Over 9 games, Ckelby Givens's best came in week 1 against Alabama State and his quietest in week 6 at Prairie View A&M.
Where he does his damage
Why it matters. The shape of a player's production, not just its size, is what opponents scout.
National and conference
Why it matters. The Player Index puts every defensive lineman on one scale, adjusted for the defenses or offenses he faced, so a rank here is comparable across conferences. Ckelby Givens is 69th of 817 FCS defensive linemen and 7th of 84 in the SWAC. Next up nationally is Isaiah Perez of Eastern Washington, 0.00 ahead on the index.
Career
Why it matters. A player's track record is the best guide to whether a season like this one is likely to last. This is his best season by the Player Index so far, out of 2 we have.
Defensive linemen like him
Why it matters. Players with similar profiles tend to be used the same way, which makes them a quick way to picture his game. His closest match this season is Karter Menz of Minnesota.
