Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 38-16vs Akron | 4 | 0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 38-36@ Purdue | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 6 | 1 | 1.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 |
#52
Dallas Afalava
Senior defensive lineman for Wake Forest. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 291 lb · Seattle, WA · Rainier Beach
CFB Index 68 · #104 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceReturning to Wake Forest 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
0.5
sacks · 2026
1.5 TFL · 6 tackles · 1 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 0.5 sacks, 1.5 TFL, 4 tackles, vs Akron
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman for Wake Forest. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Idaho in 2023.
- Transferred from Idaho to Wake Forest in 2025.
Dallas Afalava
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. He got to Wake Forest by way of Idaho. The receipt: 4 tackles, 1.5 TFL against Akron — Week 1, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 0.5 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- portal record
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Idaho3-star out of Rainier Beach
202512 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Wake Forest
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Jake Dickert — 11-4 over that span.
2025Wake Forest9-4HC: Jake Dickert · Balanced
2026Wake Forest2-0HC: Jake Dickert · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Elite: qb hurries (83rd 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: 3.0 TKL/g, 0.8 TFL/g, 0.2 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Jake Dickert
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
68 · #104 of 420 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #104 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #14 of 73 ACC DLs
How the All-ACC 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
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wake Forest | 6 | 1 | 1.5 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Wake Forest | 33 | 11 | 6.0 | 3.5 | 1 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 39 | 12 | 7.5 | 4.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 38–36
at Purdue
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Wake Forest
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Wake Forest
Returning around him
- 2 Wake Forest players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +1 net (24 in / 23 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Wake Forest · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #63 · 2026 recruiting class #39
DNA match
Player DNA
3-Tech Penetrator
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Howard Cross III’s 2021 season.
83%match
Matches Howard on
TFL rate
Weight
Sack rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jer'Zhan Newton's junior season at Illinois (2022).
76%match
NFL Rd 2 · Pk 4
Matches Jer'Zhan on
Weight
Sack rate
TFL rate
Differs from Jer'Zhan on
Hurry rate (higher)
Background
Career Accolades 2026 Polynesia Player of the Year Watchlist 2025 Polynesian Player of the Year Watchlist 2025 (Junior) Appeared in all 13 games… Named to the 2025 Polynesian Player of the Year Watchlist… Finished the season with 33 total tackles (11 solo), three sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, one...
The defensive line · Wake Forest
- #11Langston Hardy14.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #10Gabe Kirschke9 tackles for loss · 2025
- #52Dallas Afalava6 tackles for loss · 2025
- #94Zach Lohavichan5.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #55Kadear Dembele0.5 tackles for loss · 2025
14 more on the roster · Wake Forest team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology