Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 27-24@ Florida State | 5 | 2 | 1.5 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 56-10vs UC Davis | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 6 | 3 | 1.5 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#58
Aakil Washington
Senior defensive end for SMU. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 243 lb · Atlanta, GA
CFB Index 35 · #409 of 571 LBsMedium confidenceReturning to SMU for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
1
sack · 2026
1.5 TFL · 6 tackles · 1 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1.5 TFL, 5 tackles, at Florida State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive end for SMU. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Liberty in 2020.
- Transferred from South Alabama to SMU in 2025.
Aakil Washington
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Across six seasons and three programs, four head coaches: Hugh Freeze, Jamey Chadwell, Major Applewhite and Rhett Lashlee. The receipt on tape: 1 tackles against UC Davis, Week 2, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
3 programs, one constant: he played.
20205 games
- Signed with Liberty3-star out of Wheeler
202412 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
2025
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
3 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2020–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Sonny Dykes, Jim Leavitt, and Rhett Lashlee. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2020Liberty10-1HC: Hugh Freeze · Run-heavy, fast tempo
2021Liberty8-5HC: Hugh Freeze · Run-leaning
2022Liberty8-5HC: Hugh Freeze · Run-leaning
2023Liberty13-1HC: Jamey Chadwell · Run-heavy
2024South Alabama7-6HC: Major Applewhite · Balanced
2026SMU2-0HC: Rhett Lashlee · Pass-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: sacks (87th percentile). Strength: qb hurries (83rd percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.0 TKL/g, 0.8 TFL/g, 0.5 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Rhett Lashlee
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2024
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
35 · #409 of 571 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #409 at the position.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 27–24
5 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 SACKS
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 3 on the road.
With K. Jennings — 430 yds · 3 TD · 2 INT · QBR 95.6 · 33 rush yds (5 car) · D. Green — 43 rush yds (13 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
SMU
2026 Depth chart
Returning starter
Linebacker · SMU
Returning around him
- 1 SMU player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -11 net (15 in / 26 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
SMU · Last season: 9-4 (AP #25) · Talent rank #31 · 2026 recruiting class #32
DNA match
Player DNA
Thumper
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
EDGE
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Rocco Nicholl’s 2023 season.
Matches Rocco on
Solo tackle rate
Weight
PD rate
Differs from Rocco on
Tackle volume (higher)
Height (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a graduate, his production profile tracks closest to Stefon Thompson's graduate season at Nebraska (2024).
Matches Stefon on
TFL rate
Solo tackle rate
Tackle volume
Differs from Stefon on
Hurry rate (higher)
Height (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Aakil Washington
The defensive line · SMU
- #16Marques White10.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #5Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #97Christian Davis3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #9Ira Singleton3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #58Aakil Washington2 games · 2026
14 more on the roster · SMU team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology