Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 30-20vs Toledo | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 35-7vs Eastern Michigan | 4 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#44
Caleb Wheatland
Senior linebacker for Michigan State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 244 lb · Centreville, VA · Avalon School
CFB Index 66 · #148 of 571 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred Auburn → Michigan State 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
5
tackles · 2026
0.5 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 4 tackles, 0.5 TFL, vs Eastern Michigan
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Michigan State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Maryland in 2022.
- Transferred from Auburn to Michigan State in 2026.
Caleb Wheatland
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. Three head coaches in five seasons, at three different programs. The receipt on tape: 4 tackles, 0.5 TFL against Eastern Michigan, Week 2, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
5 programs, one constant: he played.
20227 games
- Signed with Maryland3-star out of Westfield
2025
The snaps went the other way.
- Entered the portal
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
3 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
3 coaches2022–2023
Michigan State
Played under 3 different head coaches: Mel Tucker, Jonathan Smith, and Pat Fitzgerald. Multi-era developmental context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Michigan State
2025Auburn
2026Michigan State
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Maryland8-5HC: Mike Locksley · Balanced
2023Maryland8-5HC: Mike Locksley · Pass-leaning
2024Maryland4-8HC: Mike Locksley · Pass-leaning
2025Auburn5-7HC: Hugh Freeze · Run-leaning
2026Michigan State2-0HC: Pat Fitzgerald · Run-heavy, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
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 2 games: 2.5 TKL/g, 0.2 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
Pat Fitzgerald
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2024
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
66 · #148 of 571 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #148 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Michigan State | 5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Auburn | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Maryland | 42 | 24 | 7.0 | 4.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Maryland | 41 | 23 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Maryland | 16 | 13 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 105 | 62 | 15.0 | 7.5 | 3 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 30–20
vs Toledo
1 TOT · 1 SOLO
With A. Milivojevic — 247 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 87.3 · -5 rush yds (6 car) · C. Mccray — 4 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Coverage 'Backer
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
LB
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Dee Winters’s 2022 season.
74%match
All-Big 12NFL Rd 6
Matches Dee on
TFL rate
Sack rate
Tackle volume
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jesiah Pierre's junior season at Texas Tech (2022).
80%match
Matches Jesiah on
TFL rate
Weight
Sack rate
Differs from Jesiah on
Hurry rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Caleb Wheatland
Background
Experienced fifth-year senior linebacker has played in 38 collegiate games during his career . . . played in 35 games at Maryland from 2022-24 . . . played in three games at Auburn in 2025 to preserve redshirt season . . . has recorded 101 tackles, including 14.5 TFLs (71 yards) and 7.5 sacks (56...
The linebacker corps · Michigan State
- #5Jordan Hall88 tackles · 2025
- #18Dion Crawford79 tackles · 2025
- #45Brady Pretzlaff4 tackles · 2025
- #44Caleb Wheatland1 tackle · 2025
- #12Cam Stodghill1 game · 2026
4 more on the roster · Michigan State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology