Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 7-59@ Texas | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 26-31vs UTSA | 5 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 9 | 6 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#15
Ayden Jones
Junior linebacker for Texas State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 224 lb · Houston, TX
CFB Index 25 · #497 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Texas State 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
9
tackles · 2026
1 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 tackles, 1 TFL, vs UTSA
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Texas State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Transferred from Prairie View A&M to Texas State in 2025.
Ayden Jones
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Ayden Jones arrived at Texas State from Prairie View A&M. The receipt on tape: 5 tackles, 1 TFL against UTSA, Week 2, 2026.
9 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- portal record
- game log
His career
202511 games
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Texas State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under G.J. Kinne — 7-8 over that span.
2025Texas State7-6HC: G.J. Kinne · Run-heavy
2026Texas State0-2HC: G.J. Kinne · Run-heavy, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
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: 4.5 TKL/g, 0.5 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
G.J. Kinne
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
25 · #497 of 583 LBs
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Pac-12
Based on 2025: #52 of 63 Sun Belt LBs — his program moves to the Pac-12 for 2026
How the All-Pac-12 estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player. The base rate was measured on players who stayed in the same conference; this estimate is not adjusted for the move to the Pac-12.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Texas State | 9 | 6 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Texas State | 52 | 30 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 61 | 36 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Texas State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Texas State
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: -3 net (18 in / 21 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Texas State · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #82 · 2026 recruiting class #74
DNA match
Player DNA
Sideline-to-Sideline
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Payton Pierce’s 2025 season.
Matches Payton on
TFL rate
Solo tackle rate
Tackle volume
Differs from Payton on
Hurry rate (higher)
Weight (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Payton Pierce's sophomore season at Ohio State (2025).
Matches Payton on
TFL rate
Weight
Solo tackle rate
Differs from Payton on
Hurry rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Ayden Jones
The linebacker corps · Texas State
- #29Treylin Payne101 tackles · 2025
- #15Ayden Jones52 tackles · 2025
- #16Terrence Cooks II46 tackles · 2025
- #10Cole Nilles27 tackles · 2025
- #12Javante Mackey25 tackles · 2025
5 more on the roster · Texas State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology