Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 0-50@ Texas A&M | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Total | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#35
Austin Yelder
Junior linebacker for Missouri State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 223 lb · Montgomery, AL · Robert E. Lee High
Returning to Missouri State for 2026
The numbers
3
tackles · 2026
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, at Texas A&M
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Missouri State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed with Missouri State in 2025.
Austin Yelder
Two seasons at Missouri State, two different head coaches: Nick Petrino and Casey Woods. The receipt: 3 tackles against Texas A&M — Week 1, 2026.
3 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
20255 games
- Signed with Missouri Stateout of Independence C.C.
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Missouri State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2025–2026
2 coaches2025
Nick Petrino
Missouri State
2026era →
Casey Woods
Missouri State
Coaching transition mid-career: Nick Petrino → Casey Woods. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2025Missouri State7-6HC: Nick Petrino · Balanced
2026Missouri State1-1HC: Casey Woods · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
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 1 game: 3.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Casey Woods
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Missouri State | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Missouri State | 7 | 3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 10 | 5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Missouri State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Missouri State
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +8 net (19 in / 11 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Missouri State · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #119 · 2026 recruiting class #131
Background
Honors MSU Athletic Director's Honor Roll: Spring 2026 Missouri State 2025: Played in the final 11 games of the season during his first season in Springfield (92 snaps) ... Finished year with 7 total tackles, including 3 solo stops ... Brought down 3 ball carriers in regular-season finale vs. LA...
The linebacker corps · Missouri State
- Jared Lloyd76 tackles · 2025
- #38Stratton Shufelt18 tackles · 2025
- #31Cooper Roy11 tackles · 2025
- #21Jashawn Cooper8 tackles · 2025
- #35Austin Yelder7 tackles · 2025
6 more on the roster · Missouri State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology