Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 31-24vs Coastal Carolina | 3 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 52-7vs UT Martin | 3 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 6 | 4 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#15
Ben Cutter
Senior linebacker for West Virginia. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 228 lb · Denver, NC · East Lincoln
CFB Index 58 · #218 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to West Virginia 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
6
tackles · 2026
2 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, 1 TFL, vs UT Martin
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for West Virginia. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to West Virginia in 2023.
Ben Cutter
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Ben Cutter has played for three head coaches in four seasons at West Virginia. One game to point at: 3 tackles, 1 TFL against UT Martin — Week 2, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
202311 games
- Signed with West Virginia3-star out of East Lincoln
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
West Virginia
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
3 coaches2023
West Virginia
2024era →
Chad Scott
West Virginia
Played under 3 different head coaches: Neal Brown, Chad Scott, and Rich Rodriguez. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023West Virginia9-4HC: Neal Brown · Run-heavy
2024West Virginia6-7HC: Chad Scott · Run-leaning
2025West Virginia4-8HC: Rich Rodriguez · Run-heavy
2026West Virginia2-0HC: Rich Rodriguez · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidenceBounce-Back
Elite: tackles for loss (85th percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
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, 1.0 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
Rich Rodriguez
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
58 · #218 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #218 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big 12
Based on 2025: #30 of 73 Big 12 LBs
How the All-Big 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.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | West Virginia | 6 | 4 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | West Virginia | 38 | 16 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 1 | 2 | -- |
| 2024 | West Virginia | 39 | 10 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | West Virginia | 56 | 28 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 139 | 58 | 12.0 | 3.0 | 2 | 2 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 52–7
vs UT Martin
3 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 TFL
Dominant 45-point win at home against UT Martin.
With M. Hawkins Jr. — 155 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 99.8 · 96 rush yds (6 car) · 2 TD · D. Epps — 18 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
West Virginia
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · West Virginia
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: -17 net (34 in / 51 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
West Virginia · Last season: 4-8 · Talent rank #49 · 2026 recruiting class #25
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Noah Kema’s 2023 season.
82%match
Matches Noah on
PD rate
Solo tackle rate
Weight
Differs from Noah on
Height (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Juandarion Silas's junior season at Kennesaw State (2024).
Matches Juandarion on
Tackle volume
PD rate
Sack rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Ben Cutter
Background
2025 (Jr.) Has played in 37 career games, including 10 starts Played in all 12 games and started one Added depth at linebacker and used extensively on special teams Season-high 78 plays against Pitt, including 58 on defense Sixth-leading tackler on the team, registering 38 tackles, including 16 s...
The linebacker corps · West Virginia
- #14Tyler Stolsky86 tackles · 2025
- #16Isaiah Patterson46 tackles · 2025
- #45Malachi Hood44 tackles · 2025
- #15Ben Cutter38 tackles · 2025
- #33Ashton Woods15 tackles · 2025
6 more on the roster · West Virginia team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology