Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 51-6vs Long Island University | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Total | — | — | — | — | — | — |
#16
Brandon Schmelzle
Freshman safety on Kansas's 2026 roster.
6′2″ · 210 lb · Axtell, KS · Axtell HS
Returning to Kansas for 2026
Recruiting
3★
S recruit
No. 1477 nationally · Signed with Kansas
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 safety on Kansas's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kansas in 2025.
Brandon Schmelzle
Limited signal — not enough coverage for a story yet.
His career
2025
- Signed with Kansas3-star out of Axtell
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Kansas
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026Kansas1-1HC: Lance Leipold · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: forced fumbles (100th percentile).
Box-score production
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
Not enough tracked stats yet to summarize this season.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lance Leipold
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kansas | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 |
| Career | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 51–6
1 FUM · 1 LOST · 1 NO
Dominant 45-point win at home against Long Island University.
With I. Marshall — 246 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 80.7 · 49 rush yds (7 car) · C. Ballard — 90 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 88.2 · 14 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Kansas
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Safety · Kansas
Returning around him
- 2 Kansas players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +5 net (31 in / 26 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Kansas · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #62 · 2026 recruiting class #61
Background
NAME PRONUNCIATION Get to Know Brandon ... At what age did you start playing football and how did you get into football? I have been playing football for as long as I can remember. Watching my brother play is what got me into it. Tell us about your hometown/where you’re from? I'm from Axtell, Kan...
The secondary · Kansas
- #3Corey Gordon53 tackles · 2025
- Austin Alexander46 tackles · 2025
- #1Jalen Todd44 tackles · 2025
- #27Taylor Davis41 tackles · 2025
- #16Brandon Schmelzle1 game · 2026
15 more on the roster · Kansas team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology