Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 24-27vs SMU | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Total | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#5
Daniel Lyons
Senior defensive lineman on Florida State's 2026 roster.
6′4″ · 292 lb · Miami, FL · Homestead Senior
CFB Index 41 · #264 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceReturning to Florida 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
0
sacks · 2026
3 tackles
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, vs SMU
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman on Florida State's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Florida State in 2022.
Daniel Lyons
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. He has spent five seasons in the Florida State defensive front. The receipt on tape: 3 tackles against SMU, Week 1, 2026.
3 TACKLES · 0 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 5 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20223 games
- Signed with Florida State3-star out of Homestead
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Florida State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
1 coach2022–2026
Florida State
Played his entire career under Mike Norvell.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
5 seasons under Mike Norvell — 31-22 over that span.
2022Florida State10-3HC: Mike Norvell · Run-leaning
2023Florida State13-1HC: Mike Norvell · Balanced
2024Florida State2-10HC: Mike Norvell · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Florida State5-7HC: Mike Norvell · Run-leaning
2026Florida State1-1HC: Mike Norvell · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium 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 1 game: 3.0 TKL/g, 0.0 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
Mike Norvell
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
41 · #264 of 420 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #264 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #47 of 73 ACC DLs
How the All-ACC 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
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Florida State | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Florida State | 26 | 11 | 3.5 | 2.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Florida State | 21 | 7 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Florida State | 15 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Florida State | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 69 | 27 | 7.0 | 3.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Florida State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Florida State
Returning around him
- 1 Florida State player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -22 net (22 in / 44 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Florida State · Last season: 5-7 (AP #25) · Talent rank #21 · 2026 recruiting class #16
DNA match
Player DNA
3-Tech Penetrator
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jack Sape’s 2023 season.
92%match
Matches Jack on
Height
Sack rate
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to T.J. Sanders's senior season at South Carolina (2024).
91%match
NFL Rd 2 · Pk 9
Matches T.J. on
Class year
TFL rate
Sack rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Daniel Lyons
Background
ACCOLADES: 2025: FSU Team Honors - Most Improved, Defense 2024: Graduated from Florida State with social science degree in Spring 2025 2022: ACC Honor Roll 2025 (Redshirt Junior): Started all 12 games as defensive tackle, finishing with 26 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one forced f...
The defensive line · Florida State
- #3Mandrell Desir7.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #8Deante McCray4.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #5Daniel Lyons3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #88Jordan Sanders3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #15Rylan Kennedy3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
12 more on the roster · Florida State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology