Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 31-3vs Houston Christian | 5 | 2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 0-52@ Notre Dame | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 9 | 2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | — | 0 |
#16
Chibby Nwajuaku
Senior defensive lineman for Rice. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 246 lb · Cypress, TX · Cypress Ranch
CFB Index 29 · #329 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceReturning to Rice 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
2
sacks · 2026
2 TFL · 9 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 5 tackles, vs Houston Christian
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman for Rice. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Rice in 2022.
- 2 sacks in 2025. Then 2 in 2026.
Chibby Nwajuaku
Wins his gap play after play. Five seasons at Rice, two different head coaches: Mike Bloomgren and Scott Abell. The receipt: 5 tackles, 2 sacks against Houston Christian — Week 1, 2026.
9 TACKLES · 2 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2022
- Signed with Rice3-star out of Cy Ranch
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Rice
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
2 coaches2022–2024
Rice
2025–2026era →
Scott Abell
Rice
Coaching transition mid-career: Mike Bloomgren → Scott Abell. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Rice5-8HC: Mike Bloomgren · Run-leaning
2023Rice6-7HC: Mike Bloomgren · Balanced, slow tempo
2024Rice4-8HC: Mike Bloomgren · Pass-leaning
2025Rice5-8HC: Scott Abell · Run-heavy
2026Rice1-1HC: Scott Abell · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Elite: sacks (97th percentile). Strength: tackles for loss (85th 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 2 games: 4.5 TKL/g, 1.0 TFL/g, 1.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Scott Abell
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
29 · #329 of 420 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #329 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-AAC
Based on 2025: #32 of 53 American Athletic DLs
How the All-AAC 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 31–3
5 TOT · 2 SOLO · 2 SACKS
Dominant 28-point win at home against Houston Christian.
With Q. Jackson — 61 rush yds (10 car) · 2 TD · C. Durkin — 54 AVG · 54 LONG · 1 NO
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
Rice
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Rice
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: -2 net (20 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Rice · Last season: 5-8 · Talent rank #100 · 2026 recruiting class #104
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 Lanell Carr’s 2024 season.
88%match
Matches Lanell on
TFL rate
Height
Weight
Differs from Lanell on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Jaylen Sneed's senior season at Notre Dame (2025).
Matches Jaylen on
Class year
Hurry rate
Sack rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Chibby Nwajuaku
Background
Pronunciation Guide Honors at Rice American Conference All-Academic 2024, 2025, 2026 Rice Honor Athlete 2025, 2026 2026 Preseason Team Captain 2025 Credited with 28 tackles, three for loss (two sacks) while playing in 12 games (2 starts), all career highs… Second on the team with 17 total pressur...
The defensive line · Rice
- #57Aquantis Clemmons3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #16Chibby Nwajuaku3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #92Luca Akirtava2 tackles for loss · 2025
- #2Jo Chavez1.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #8Joseph Mutombo1.5 tackles for loss · 2025
14 more on the roster · Rice team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology