Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 71-3vs Nicholls | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 34-7vs Washington State | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 4 | 2.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#6
Darien Whitaker Jr.
Sophomore linebacker for Kansas State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 246 lb · Baltimore, MD · Boys Town [NE]
Returning to Kansas State for 2026
The numbers
4
tackles · 2026
2 TFL · 1 sacks
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sacks, vs Nicholls
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for Kansas State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kansas State in 2025.
Darien Whitaker Jr.
Darien Whitaker Jr. has played for two head coaches in two seasons at Kansas State. One game to point at: 2 tackles, 1 TFL against Washington State — Week 2, 2026.
4 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2025
- Signed with Kansas State3-star out of Boys Town
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Kansas State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2025–2026
2 coaches2025
Kansas State
2026era →
Collin Klein
Kansas State
Coaching transition mid-career: Chris Klieman → Collin Klein. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2025Kansas State6-6HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2026Kansas State2-0HC: Collin Klein · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: sacks (87th percentile). Strength: tackles for loss (85th percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
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: 2.0 TKL/g, 1.0 TFL/g, 0.5 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Collin Klein
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kansas State | 4 | 4 | 2.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Kansas State | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 6 | 6 | 2.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 71–3
vs Nicholls
2 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 SACKS
Dominant 68-point win at home against Nicholls.
With A. Johnson — 199 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · 23 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD · B. White — 7 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Kansas State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Kansas State
Returning around him
- 2 Kansas State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -6 net (27 in / 33 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Kansas State · Last season: 6-6 (AP #17) · Talent rank #47 · 2026 recruiting class #50
Background
2025: Saw time in the final two games of the season, playing exclusively on kickoff coverage and recording tackles against both Utah and Colorado. HIGH SCHOOL: Played at Boys Town under head coach Chris Nizzi... Regarded as the 60th-best linebacker in the nation for the Class of 2025 by On3, whil...
The linebacker corps · Kansas State
- #4Mekhi Mason62 tackles · 2025
- #28Rex Van Wyhe29 tackles · 2025
- #20Jacobi Oliphant Jr.24 tackles · 2025
- #35Gabe Powers21 tackles · 2025
- #6Darien Whitaker Jr.2 tackles · 2025
6 more on the roster · Kansas State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology