Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 62-13vs UL Monroe | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#16
Derion Gullette
Junior linebacker for Mississippi State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 240 lb · Marlin, TX · Teague HS (Texas)
CFB Index 39 · #388 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Mississippi 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
1
tackle · 2026
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs UL Monroe
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Mississippi State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Texas in 2023.
- Transferred from Texas to Mississippi State in 2025.
Derion Gullette
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Across three seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Steve Sarkisian and Jeff Lebby. The receipt on tape: 1 tackles against UL Monroe, Week 1, 2026.
1 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Texas4-star out of Teague
20258 games
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Mississippi State
Played his entire career under Jeff Lebby.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Texas13-3HC: Steve Sarkisian · Balanced
2025Mississippi State5-8HC: Jeff Lebby · Run-leaning
2026Mississippi State2-0HC: Jeff Lebby · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High 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: 1.0 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
Jeff Lebby
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
39 · #388 of 583 LBs
Former four-star. Now #388 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #54 of 76 SEC LBs
How the All-SEC 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 | Mississippi State | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Mississippi State | 38 | 16 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Texas | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 41 | 18 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Mississippi State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Mississippi State
Returning around him
- 2 Mississippi State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -12 net (28 in / 40 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Mississippi State · Last season: 5-8 · Talent rank #20 · 2026 recruiting class #23
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Siale Esera’s 2025 season.
Matches Siale on
Tackle volume
TFL rate
Sack rate
Differs from Siale on
Hurry rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Grant Godfrey's sophomore season at Kentucky (2025).
Matches Grant on
Tackle volume
TFL rate
Solo tackle rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Derion Gullette
Background
Career Notes Played in 15 career games with two starts … Following the 2025 season, had 40 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, one PBU and 1.5 sacks. 2025 (Redshirt Sophomore Season) Played in 10 games with two starts … Tallied 38 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, 2 QB hurries and one pass breakup … Season-high six t...
The linebacker corps · Mississippi State
- #10Jalen Smith57 tackles · 2025
- #7Zakari Tillman47 tackles · 2025
- #16Derion Gullette38 tackles · 2025
- #11Tyler Lockhart34 tackles · 2025
- #45James Heard Jr.12 tackles · 2025
6 more on the roster · Mississippi State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology