CFB Zeitgeist Score
26
Below cohort in the position cohort. Carried by rec yards at the 34th percentile.
Marcello Bussey
Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.
287 REC YDS · 27 REC · 0 REC TD
2026 Outlook
Returning to Memphis for 2026
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Wide receiver · Memphis
Returning around him
- 12% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- 1 Memphis player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +4 net (51 in / 47 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Memphis · Last season: 8-5 (AP #22) · Talent rank #59 · 2026 recruiting class #60
WR · MEMPHIS · AMERICAN ATHLETIC
Marcello Bussey
- 4
- #6
- 5-11 | 175 lb
- Junction City, KS
Heisman Heat
#1055
<1% win probability
Fan Belief
Awaiting
Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.
Respect Gap
Awaiting
Coming online with player-level FI.
Reality Gap
Awaiting
Coming online with player-level FI.
ACCOLADE PROBABILITY
Heisman
<1%
TOP WR AWARD
Biletnikoff
—
CONSENSUS
All-American
—
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 2 · StarterR06 · Starter
Starter. A locked-in starting role.
Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Development Trajectory · receiving yards
2023–2025+7075%
Up 7075% from first season to most-recent.
Career Arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Memphis
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Identity & Role
The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.
Recruiting Pedigree
How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.
| Class | Profile | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3-star | 0.8306 | No. 129 recruit | JUCO | Memphis |
Transfer Arc
Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.
| Season | Move | Context |
|---|---|---|
| No transfer portal moves on file for this player. | ||
Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final
Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.
HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16Heisman Futures
Not yet listed on major futures markets.
No achievements unlocked yet this season.
Selector Grid · 2025
AP—
FWAA—
AFCA—
WCFF—
SN—
SI—
Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.
NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft
Market value, pedigree & pro outcome
Recruit stars
★★★☆☆
to Memphis
Composite
0.8306
#129 national
Today’s Hot-Take
The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.
Anti-Take
PENDINGThe contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.
The Room on Marcello Bussey
Fan sentiment · Awaiting signal
The Room reads fan conversation around a player — who’s talking, what they believe, and how that shifts. It publishes once weekly volume rebuilds; for most players that’s in-season, when game-week chatter spikes.
Cohort divergence map
Cohort divergence reads how different fanbases talk about this player. Returns once weekly mentions clear the publish floor.
Rival Radar
How rival fanbases talk about Marcello Bussey
No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.
2025 Signature · 2025 season
Yards per reception
10.6
yds
All FBS WRs, min 20 receptions
National rank #384 of 531
Percentile vs All FBS WRs, min 20 receptions 28th
Why it matters
#384 of 531 All FBS WRs at 10.6 yards per reception (27 catches).
Vs cohort
This player 10.6 (28th)
MODERATE · n=27 cohort 531
- Also strong
- Receiving yards (total)#403 / 531
- Receiving TDs#476 / 531
Signature Moment
Week 6 vs Tulsa — 68 ypr
Result W 45-7
The week the volume broke through — put up 68 yds vs Tulsa.
Season Pace · Projection
Where the receiving totals stand
Through 12g
287Rec yards
27Receptions
0Rec TDs
Per game
23.9Rec yards
2Receptions
0Rec TDs
Projected (13g)
310.9Rec yards
29Receptions
0Rec TDs
To hit 700-yard receiver (currently 287): needs 413/game over remaining 1.
To hit 1,000-yard receiver (currently 287): needs 713/game over remaining 1.
To hit 60-catch season (currently 27): needs 33/game over remaining 1.
To hit 80-catch season (currently 27): needs 53/game over remaining 1.
To hit 8 receiving TDs (currently 0): needs 8/game over remaining 1.
To hit 10 receiving TDs (currently 0): needs 10/game over remaining 1.
What made this player interesting
The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.
Marcello Bussey's story is about how role and output meet each other. For Memphis, the card already shows enough current-season production to explain why he is on the serious-player board, and the next layer is determining whether the profile is just very good or actually distinctive.
2025 Season · Final
Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.
Last season
WR season snapshot
2025 season snapshot | final
2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Player identity What kind of player is this?
30-second read
What kind of player is this?
Receiving weapon against FBS receiving peers.
2025 Season · Final
2025 season snapshot | final
Receiving
REC
27 71st
YDS
287 67th
YPR
10.6 38th
TD
0 45th
Game Log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 12 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 45-10vs Chattanooga | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 0 | 17 | |
| Wk 2 | W 38-16@ Georgia State | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Wk 4 | W 32-31vs Arkansas | 1 | 40 | 40.0 | 0 | 40 | |
| Wk 5 | W 55-26@ Florida Atlantic | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 | |
| Wk 6 | W 45-7vs Tulsa | 4 | 68 | 17.0 | 0 | 29 | Season-high 68 yds |
| Wk 8 | L 24-31@ UAB | 3 | 27 | 9.0 | 0 | 13 | |
| Wk 9 | W 34-31vs South Florida | 3 | 25 | 8.3 | 0 | 19 | |
| Wk 10 | W 38-14@ Rice | 3 | 17 | 5.7 | 0 | 12 | |
| Wk 11 | L 32-38vs Tulane | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 | |
| Wk 12 | L 27-31@ East Carolina | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 0 | 4 | |
| Wk 14 | L 17-28vs Navy | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 0 | 13 | |
| Bowl | L 7-31@ NC State | 3 | 34 | 11.3 | 0 | 24 | |
| Total | 27 | 287 | 11.0 | 0 | 40 |
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score
Traditional history
Traditional Stats
Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.
Season context · Team result + system
2023Memphis10-3HC: Ryan Silverfield · Balanced
2024Memphis11-2HC: Ryan Silverfield · Balanced, fast tempo
2025Memphis8-5HC: Ryan Silverfield · Run-leaning
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context
Advanced metrics second
Advanced Metrics
Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.
The player's share of a team's passing-game involvement. It is the fastest way to see whether the receiver is a true focal point or more of a complementary piece.
A blended workload view that accounts for catches, designed touches, and any return-game involvement that shapes the overall profile.
Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.
The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.
Open full stat explorer
| Group | Metric | Value | Rank | Pct | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving | Receptions | 27 | #320/1110 | 71st pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Receiving | Receiving yards | 287 | #367/1107 | 67th pct | Volumevs FBS WR |
| Receiving | Receiving TD | 0 | #615/1111 | 45th pct | Scoringvs FBS WR |
| Receiving | Yards / catch | 10.6 | #691/1106 | 38th pct | Efficiencyvs FBS WR |
| Usage | Pass share | 8.4% | #575/1137 | 50th pct | Air-game usagevs FBS WR |
| Receiving | Receiving LONG | 40 | #450/1105 | 59th pct | Metricvs FBS WR |
| Usage | Passing-down usage | 4.6% | #753/1137 | 34th pct | Known-passing sharevs FBS WR |
| Usage | 1st-down usage | 4.5% | #478/1137 | 58th pct | Early-down loadvs FBS WR |
| Usage | 2nd-down usage | 4.5% | #575/1137 | 50th pct | Middle-down loadvs FBS WR |
| Usage | Role share | 4.1% | #596/1137 | 48th pct | Share of team offensevs FBS WR |
| Usage | Standard-down usage | 3.9% | #543/1137 | 52nd pct | Base-situation sharevs FBS WR |
| Usage | 3rd-down usage | 3.5% | #774/1137 | 32nd pct | Money-down loadvs FBS WR |
| Usage | Rush share | 0.0% | #391/1137 | 66th pct | Ground-game usagevs FBS WR |
Player Standing
Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.
AWAITING CLASSIFICATION
On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex
AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16
Why he’s here
Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.
What moves him up
What moves him down
Accolade streams
Status—Awaiting tracker
Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.
Splits · Per-game
2025 season · 12 games
Home vs Road
| REC/g | YDS/g | YPR | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home6g | 2.2 | 32.0 | 16.3 | 0.0 |
| Road6g | 2.3 | 15.8 | 5.7 | 0.0 |
Win vs Loss
| REC/g | YDS/g | YPR | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wins7g | 2.3 | 27.3 | 13.0 | 0.0 |
| Losses5g | 2.2 | 19.2 | 8.2 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| REC/g | YDS/g | YPR | TD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-76g | 2.2 | 30.5 | 14.7 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+6g | 2.3 | 17.3 | 7.2 | 0.0 |
Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.
Savant · Box-rate percentiles
Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort
26Below cohort
Concern: rec tds (6th).
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Advanced Savant · WR · 2024
Percentile Card
Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.
P4G5All FBS
Advanced Savant
Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.
Advanced opponent-adjusted metrics are coming soon for this player. Selected cohort: P4.
Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match
Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile
Marcello BusseyMemphisMichael Jackson IIIPurdue· 70% simJacquon GibsonMassachusetts· 69% simKevin Coleman Jr.Missouri· 65% sim
Receptions
Rec yards
Long catch
Yards / catch
Rec TDs
Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.
Player DNA
The Possession Receiver
Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.
WR
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Corey Crooms’s 2023 season.
Corey Crooms
82%match
#2
Tanner Knue
81%
#3
Trey Goodman
80%
#4
Eric Rivers
79%
#5
Ryan O'Keefe
78%
Matches Corey on
Total EPA (college ability)
Weight
EPA / play (adj)
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Max Tomczak’s path through Youngstown State.
Max Tomczak
100%match
#2
Leroy Thomas
97%
#3
LaJohntay Wester
1st-team All-AmericanNFL Rd 6
95%
#4
Trey Goodman
94%
#5
Antwan Davis
93%
Matches Max on
Yards per reception
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jehlani Galloway's junior season at Western Michigan (2022).
Jehlani Galloway
86%match
#2
Jamaal Bell
83%
#3
Peyton Higgins
83%
#4
Sahmir Hagans
All-ACC
81%
#5
Sterling Galban
81%
Matches Jehlani on
Reception volume
Yards / reception
Total EPA (college ability)
Differs from Jehlani on
EPA / play (adj) (higher)
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Ryan Silverfield
Pass share
46.9%
412 pass / 466 run
Plays / game
67.5
13 games
OL sack rate (allowed)
11.2%
285 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Coaching Lineage · 2023–2025
1 coach2023
Ryan Silverfield
Memphis
2024
Ryan Silverfield
Memphis
2025
Ryan Silverfield
Memphis
Played his entire career under Ryan Silverfield.
Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster
Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.
HometownJunction City, KS
Height5'11"
Weight175 lb
Class4
PositionWR
Jersey6
No fields populated yet.
No fields populated yet.
Current teamMemphis
ConferenceAmerican Athletic
Joined2025
Career arc3 season(s)
Trophy Case · Detail
Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.
No formal honors on the ledger yet
All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.
Honors Timeline
Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.
| Season | Honor | Scope | Team / Selector | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned. | ||||
Heisman By Year
Modeled rank and official finish by season.
Roster Timeline
Team, conference, and class by season.