Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 34-18vs South Dakota State | 4 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 4 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 1 |
#15
Brendan Flakes
Senior defensive lineman for Northwestern. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 295 lb · Winter Garden, FL · West Orange High
CFB Index 10 · #293 of 302 interior linemenLow confidenceReturning to Northwestern 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
1
sack · 2026
1 TFL · 4 tackles
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1 TFL, 4 tackles, vs South Dakota State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman for Northwestern. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Northwestern in 2022.
Brendan Flakes
Wins his gap play after play. He has spent four seasons in the Northwestern defensive front. The receipt: 4 tackles, 1 sacks against South Dakota State — Week 1, 2026.
4 TACKLES · 1 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 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2022
- Signed with Northwestern3-star out of West Orange
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Northwestern
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Northwestern
Played his entire career under David Braun.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under David Braun — 20-19 over that span.
2023Northwestern8-5HC: David Braun · Run-leaning
2024Northwestern4-8HC: David Braun · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Northwestern7-6HC: David Braun · Run-leaning
2026Northwestern1-0HC: David Braun · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low confidence
Elite: sacks (87th percentile). 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, 1.0 TFL/g, 1.0 SACK/g, 1.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
David Braun
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 1 game in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Northwestern | 4 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Northwestern | 18 | 6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Northwestern | 11 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Northwestern | 15 | 7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 48 | 19 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 4 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 34–18
4 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 SACKS
With A. Chiles — 273 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · 18 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD · J. Himon II — 87 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Northwestern
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Northwestern
Returning around him
- 2 Northwestern players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +9 net (17 in / 8 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Northwestern · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #60 · 2026 recruiting class #52
DNA match
Player DNA
Two-Gap Base
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Esaias Carpenter’s 2021 season.
92%match
Matches Esaias on
Weight
Sack rate
Height
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Troy Pikes's junior season at South Carolina (2025).
79%match
Matches Troy on
Class year
Weight
TFL rate
Differs from Troy on
Hurry rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Brendan Flakes
Background
2025 Redshirt Junior: Started all 13 games … Recorded a career-high 18 total tackles with six solo tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery … Registered his first game of the year with multiple solo tackles (two) against Penn State (10/11) … Set career-high in tackles (...
The defensive line · Northwestern
- #47Michael Kilbane7.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #90Carmine Bastone4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #24Jamaal Johnson1.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #95Najee Story1 tackle for loss · 2025
- #15Brendan Flakes0.5 tackles for loss · 2025
22 more on the roster · Northwestern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology