cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Nate Johnson /Utah

Nate Johnson

WR · Utah · Jr · #3

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

16 REC YDS · 1 REC · 0 REC TD

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Utah for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Utah for 2026

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Wide receiver · Utah

Returning around him

  • 14% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
  • 3 Utah players drafted to NFL
  • Transfer portal: -3 net (17 in / 20 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Utah · Last season: 11-2 (AP #15) · Talent rank #44 · 2026 recruiting class #40

WR · UTAH · BIG 12

Nate Johnson

  • 3
  • #3
  • 6-1 | 202 lb
  • Clovis, CA

CFB Zeitgeist Score

29

Below cohort in the position cohort. Carried by yards / catch at the 84th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#2134

<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 · Starter

R07 · Impact starter

Impact starter. Producing measurable value above replacement.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Development Trajectory · receiving yards

2022–2025
5.02022
1.02024
16.02025

+220%

Up 220% from first season to most-recent.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★
#1769 national
CFB
College
2 teams
2022–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Heisman futures · live sportsbook odds

#29 in market ▼ from #23 · 5 books

+35002.8% implied▲ tightened from +6600

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionWR
Class3
Jersey3
Measurements6-1 | 202 lb
HometownClovis, CA
Primary teamUtah

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree 3-star No. 1769 recruit
Composite rating 0.8353 HighSchool
Signed with Vanderbilt 2023
Origin Theodore Theodore, AL, USA
Class Profile Context
2023 3-star | 0.8353 No. 1769 recruit | HighSchool | Vanderbilt

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 0 No portal entry on file
Latest destination -- --
Transfer stars -- CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility -- Transfer date TBD
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 16
Current nowcast#2134Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#2447Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman 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 Vanderbilt

Composite

0.8353

#1769 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

PENDING

The 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 Nate Johnson

Fan sentiment ·

Belief Meter

58

Mixed Sentiment

Sample 12 mentions
Confidence MEDIUM

Top Take

Trajectory

Cohort divergence mapbearishbullishheatedcalmOwn fans: 12 mentions · belief +17 · "Nate Johnson might be the missing piece that turns Kansas State basketball from "Own fansNational: 2 mentions · belief +0 · "PJ Haggerty broke 30 again (37), along with 7 boards and 8 assists, as K-State r"National
  • Own fans · n=12
  • National · n=2

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Nate Johnson

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the receiving totals stand

projecting to 13-game
Through 9g
16Rec yards
1Receptions
0Rec TDs
Per game
1.8Rec yards
0Receptions
0Rec TDs
Projected (13g)
23.1Rec yards
1Receptions
0Rec TDs

To hit 700-yard receiver (currently 16): needs 171/game over remaining 4.

To hit 1,000-yard receiver (currently 16): needs 246/game over remaining 4.

To hit 60-catch season (currently 1): needs 14.8/game over remaining 4.

To hit 80-catch season (currently 1): needs 19.8/game over remaining 4.

To hit 8 receiving TDs (currently 0): needs 2/game over remaining 4.

To hit 10 receiving TDs (currently 0): needs 2.5/game over remaining 4.

Why the profile pops beyond receiving

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

The most interesting thing about Nate Johnson is that he shows up in multiple game states. He is a receiver first, but the profile also includes designed touches and return-game juice, which means his value is not limited to a conventional route tree.

Current place #2134 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load 3.8% Overall usage share
Profile quirk Transfer path 0 portal moves

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
Receptions 1 0 rec TD | #973/1110 (12th pct)
Receiving yards 16 16.0 per catch | #958/1107 (14th pct)
Scrimmage yards 241 Total offensive yardage | #958/1107 (14th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

Big-play receiver against FBS receiving peers.

Big-play receiver

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Receiving

REC
1 12th
YDS
16 14th
YPR
16.0 82nd
TD
0 45th

Rushing

CAR
24 97th
YDS
225 99th
YPC
9.4 85th
TD
1 96th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 9 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppRECYDSAVGTDLONGNote
Wk 1W 43-10@ UCLA
Wk 2W 63-9vs Cal Poly
Wk 3W 31-6@ Wyoming
Wk 9W 53-7vs Colorado
Wk 10W 45-14vs Cincinnati
Wk 12W 55-28@ Baylor
Wk 13W 51-47vs Kansas State11616.0016Season-high 16 yds
Wk 14W 31-21@ Kansas
BowlW 44-22vs Nebraska
Total11616.0016
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2022Utah10-4HC: Kyle Whittingham · Run-leaning
2023Utah8-5HC: Kyle Whittingham · Run-heavy
2024Vanderbilt7-6HC: Clark Lea · Run-heavy
2025Utah11-2HC: Kyle Whittingham · Run-heavy
SeasonTeam
2025Utah11616.00--
2024Vanderbilt111.00--
2023Utah----------
2022Utah155.00--
Career4 loaded seasons3227.30--
SeasonTeam
2025Utah24225------
2024Vanderbilt11114------
2023Utah59235------
2022Utah551------
Career4 loaded seasons99625------
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Pass share

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.

Role share

A blended workload view that accounts for catches, designed touches, and any return-game involvement that shapes the overall profile.

Peer percentile

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.

Traditional first

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.

Usage 3.8% 0.4% pass-game share | #1113/1137 (2nd pct)
Return yards 0 0 return TD
Touchdowns 1 Across offense and returns | #615/1111 (45th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Receiving Receptions 1 #973/1110 12th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Receiving Receiving yards 16 #958/1107 14th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Receiving Receiving TD 0 #615/1111 45th pct Scoringvs FBS WR
Receiving Yards / catch 16.0 #205/1106 82nd pct Efficiencyvs FBS WR
Usage Pass share 0.4% #1113/1137 2nd pct Air-game usagevs FBS WR
Rushing Rushing yards 225 #6/397 99th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Rushing Rushing LONG 56 #9/346 98th pct Metricvs FBS WR
Rushing Carries 24 #12/407 97th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Rushing Yards / carry 9.4 #60/393 85th pct Efficiencyvs FBS WR
Rushing Rush TD 1 #19/411 96th pct Scoringvs FBS WR
Receiving Receiving LONG 16 #845/1105 24th pct Metricvs FBS WR
Usage Rush share 6.2% #14/1137 99th pct Ground-game usagevs FBS WR
Usage 1st-down usage 5.1% #417/1137 63rd pct Early-down loadvs FBS WR
Usage Standard-down usage 3.9% #543/1137 52nd pct Base-situation sharevs FBS WR
Usage Role share 3.8% #645/1137 43rd pct Share of team offensevs FBS WR
Usage 2nd-down usage 3.5% #727/1137 36th pct Middle-down loadvs FBS WR
Usage Passing-down usage 3.5% #867/1137 24th pct Known-passing sharevs FBS WR
Usage 3rd-down usage 1.8% #898/1137 21st pct Money-down loadvs 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

StatusAwaiting tracker

Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 9 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

REC/gYDS/gYPRTD/g
Home5g0.23.216.00.0
Road4g

Win vs Loss

REC/gYDS/gYPRTD/g
Wins9g0.11.816.00.0

First half vs Second half

REC/gYDS/gYPRTD/g
Weeks 1-74g
Weeks 8+5g0.23.216.00.0

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort

29Below cohort
7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: rush yards (98th). Strength: rush tds (85th). Concern: receptions (0th).

Rush yards#6 / 287 · 98th pct
225rush
Rush TDs#19 / 287 · 85th pct
1rush
Yards / catch#90 / 558 · 84th pct
16.0rece
Rec TDs#482 / 558 · 7th pct
0rece
Long catch#549 / 558 · 2nd pct
16rece
Rec yards#559 / 558 · 0th pct
16rece
Receptions#559 / 558 · 0th pct
1rece

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
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

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

3 peers · 7 metrics
Nate JohnsonUtahJacquon GibsonMassachusetts· 41% simKevin Coleman Jr.Missouri· 41% simAaron TurnerRice· 40% sim
Rush yards
98
Johnson
76
Gibson
89
Jr.
98
Turner
Rush TDs
85
Johnson
39
Gibson
39
Jr.
99
Turner
Yards / catch
84
Johnson
15
Gibson
28
Jr.
1
Turner
Rec TDs
7
Johnson
7
Gibson
24
Jr.
68
Turner
Long catch
2
Johnson
56
Gibson
56
Jr.
65
Turner
Rec yards
0
Johnson
74
Gibson
84
Jr.
48
Turner
Receptions
0
Johnson
92
Gibson
94
Jr.
92
Turner

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

DNA Match awaiting data — similarity scores compute once season stats clear the volume gate for this position cohort.

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Kyle Whittingham

Pass share

39.8%

371 pass / 562 run

Plays / game

71.8

13 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

4.2%

289 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-heavy.

Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025

1 coach
2022
Kyle Whittingham
Utah
2023
Kyle Whittingham
Utah
2024
Kyle Whittingham
Utah
2025
Kyle Whittingham
Utah

Played his entire career under Kyle Whittingham.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownClovis, CA
Height6'1"
Weight202 lb
Class3
PositionWR
Jersey3

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

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.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Vanderbilt WR3 #2134 #2447 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | SEC
2023 Utah WR3 #2437 #2355 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | Pac-12
2022 Utah WR3 #1665 #1266 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | Pac-12

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Utah Big 12 WR 3 No. 3 | 6-1 | 202 lb | Clovis, CA
2024 Vanderbilt SEC WR 3 No. 3 | 6-1 | 202 lb | Clovis, CA
2023 Utah Pac-12 WR 3 No. 3 | 6-1 | 202 lb | Clovis, CA
2022 Utah Pac-12 WR 3 No. 3 | 6-1 | 202 lb | Clovis, CA