Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 21-24@ Troy | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 17-23vs Tulsa | 9 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Total | 12 | 5 | 2.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#33
Brian Bates Jr.
Senior linebacker for Sam Houston. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 230 lb · Centreville, VA · DeMatha Catholic HS / Delaware State / Charlotte
Returning to Sam Houston for 2026
The numbers
12
tackles · 2026
2 TFL · 1 sacks
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 9 tackles, 1 TFL, vs Tulsa
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Sam Houston. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed with Charlotte in 2023.
Brian Bates Jr.
The receipt on tape: 9 tackles, 1 TFL against Tulsa, Week 2, 2026.
12 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Charlotteout of DeMatha Catholic
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Sam Houston
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026Sam Houston0-2HC: Phil Longo · Pass-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: sacks (87th percentile). Strength: tackles for loss (85th 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: 6.0 TKL/g, 1.0 TFL/g, 0.5 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Phil Longo
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sam Houston | 12 | 5 | 2.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 12 | 5 | 2.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Sam Houston
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Sam Houston
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +5 net (20 in / 15 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Sam Houston · Last season: 2-10 · Talent rank #117 · 2026 recruiting class #126
Background
Delaware State 2025 Season First Team all-MEAC selection ... HBCU all-America ... played in 12 games for the Hornets ... totaled 80 tackles, 7.0 TFLs and a pair of sacks ... also forced and recovered a fumble ... season high 12 tackles vs Monmouth (10/4) ... also had 11 stops vs at Sacred Heart (...
The linebacker corps · Sam Houston
- #21Dean Ford32 tackles · 2025
- #42Ca'lub Holloway29 tackles · 2025
- #26Tokyo Gordon19 tackles · 2025
- #45Eli Wallace1 tackle · 2025
- #33Brian Bates Jr.2 games · 2026
7 more on the roster · Sam Houston team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology