Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 27-24@ Florida State | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#28
Brandon Booker
Junior linebacker for SMU. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 225 lb · Desoto, TX
CFB Index 46 · #327 of 583 LBsHigh 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
4
tackles · 2026
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 4 tackles, at Florida State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for SMU. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to SMU in 2024.
Brandon Booker
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. This is his third year in the same linebacker corps at SMU. The receipt on tape: 4 tackles against Florida State, Week 1, 2026.
4 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 3 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20247 games
- Signed with SMU3-star out of DeSoto
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
SMU
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Played his entire career under Rhett Lashlee.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Rhett Lashlee — 22-7 over that span.
2024SMU11-3HC: Rhett Lashlee · Run-leaning
2025SMU9-4HC: Rhett Lashlee · 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 confidenceBreakout
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: 4.0 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
Rhett Lashlee
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
46 · #327 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #327 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #38 of 74 ACC LBs
How the All-ACC 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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 27–24
4 TOT · 1 SOLO
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
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
SMU
2026 Depth chart
Projected 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
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Cade Uluave’s 2024 season.
Matches Cade on
TFL rate
Class year
Solo tackle rate
Differs from Cade on
Weight (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Isaiah Chisom's sophomore season at Oregon State (2024).
83%match
Matches Isaiah on
Weight
Tackle volume
TFL rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Brandon Booker
The linebacker corps · SMU
- #28Brandon Booker69 tackles · 2025
- #54Alex Kilgore60 tackles · 2025
- #29Brandon Miyazono44 tackles · 2025
- #12Caden Marshall37 tackles · 2025
- #32Jamal Anderson5 tackles · 2025
5 more on the roster · SMU team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology