Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 63-3vs Tennessee State | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.5 | — | 1 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 70-20vs Western Kentucky | 3 | 2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 6 | 3 | 1.5 | 0.5 | — | 1 |
#9
Chris Cole
Junior linebacker for Georgia. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 235 lb · Salem, VA · Salem HS
CFB Index 74 · #97 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Georgia 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
6
tackles · 2026
1.5 TFL · 0.5 sacks · 1 PBU
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, 1 TFL, 0.5 sacks, vs Tennessee State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Georgia. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 5-star recruit to Georgia in 2024.
- Cole Speer returns to Georgia for 2026 (Aug 18) Reported
Buzz vs Tape
Fans hotter than the country
His own fans read him warmer than the wider college football conversation does — a gap of 35.7 points in belief.
35.7own fans
0national conversation
Also worth knowing:
In Their Words
265 windows · 2026 fan posts
elite×32.6georgia×10.0chris×13.2another×11.5
“Four-Star Safety Adryan Cole has Committed to Georgia”
reddit/georgiabulldogs · fan post, verbatim
Chris Cole
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Third year in the Georgia linebacker corps, same address the whole way. The receipt on tape: 3 tackles, 0.5 TFL against Western Kentucky, Week 2, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 0.5 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 3 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20247 games
- Signed with Georgia5-star out of Salem
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★★
CFB
College
Georgia
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Georgia
Played his entire career under Kirby Smart.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Kirby Smart — 25-5 over that span.
2024Georgia11-3HC: Kirby Smart · Pass-leaning
2025Georgia12-2HC: Kirby Smart · Run-leaning
2026Georgia2-0HC: Kirby Smart · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidenceReinvented
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: 3.0 TKL/g, 0.8 TFL/g, 0.2 SACK/g, 0.5 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Kirby Smart
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
74 · #97 of 583 LBs
Former five-star. Now #97 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #15 of 76 SEC LBs
How the All-SEC estimate is computed
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. 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 63–3
3 TOT · 1 SOLO · 0 SACKS
Dominant 60-point win at home against Tennessee State.
With S. White — 3 rec · 34 yds · G. Stockton — 202 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Georgia
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Georgia
Returning around him
- 8 Georgia players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -7 net (9 in / 16 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Georgia · Last season: 12-2 (AP #2) · Talent rank #1 · 2026 recruiting class #6
DNA match
Player DNA
Thumper
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Anthony Hill Jr.’s 2023 season.
83%match
NFL Rd 2 · Pk 28
Matches Anthony on
Weight
Solo tackle rate
Tackle volume
Differs from Anthony on
Hurry rate (lower)
Class year (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Kamren Robinson's sophomore season at Virginia (2024).
Matches Kamren on
TFL rate
PD rate
Hurry rate
Differs from Kamren on
Class year (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Chris Cole
Background
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 2024 SEC All-Freshman Team CAREER HIGHS 7 tackles vs. Texas, 2025; Ole Miss (CFP), 2026 1.0 TFL six times; last vs. Texas, 2025 1 sacks vs. Austin Peay, Tennessee, Alabama, 2025 1 forced fumble vs. UMass, 2024 2026: Selected to preseason All-America Third Team by On3 ... also se...
The linebacker corps · Georgia
- #5Raylen Wilson74 tackles · 2025
- #9Chris Cole61 tackles · 2025
- #19Justin Williams35 tackles · 2025
- #3Quintavius Johnson34 tackles · 2025
- Gabe Harris24 tackles · 2025
12 more on the roster · Georgia team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology