Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 13-14vs Colorado | 6 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 24-45vs Tennessee | 11 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 11 tackles |
| Total | 17 | 8 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#2
E.J. Lightsey
Senior linebacker for Georgia Tech. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 230 lb · Fitzgerald, GA · Fitzgerald H.S.
CFB Index 39 · #392 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Georgia Tech 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.
How he plays
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait.
Tackles: 85th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
17
tackles · 2026
1 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 11 tackles, vs Tennessee
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Georgia Tech. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Georgia in 2022.
E.J. Lightsey
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Across four seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Kirby Smart and Brent Key. One game to point at: 11 tackles against Tennessee — Week 2, 2026.
17 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20223 games
- Signed with Georgia3-star out of Fitzgerald
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Georgia15-0HC: Kirby Smart · Balanced
2024Georgia Tech7-6HC: Brent Key · Run-leaning
2025Georgia Tech9-4HC: Brent Key · Run-leaning
2026Georgia Tech0-2HC: Brent Key · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: tackles (85th 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: 8.5 TKL/g, 0.5 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
Brent Key
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #54 of 74 ACC LBs
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 | Georgia Tech | 17 | 8 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Georgia Tech | 76 | 39 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Georgia Tech | 23 | 10 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| 2022 | Georgia | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 120 | 59 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Georgia Tech
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Georgia Tech
Returning around him
- 2 Georgia Tech players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -1 net (19 in / 20 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Georgia Tech · Last season: 9-4 (AP #24) · Talent rank #34 · 2026 recruiting class #41
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Elijah Herring’s 2025 season.
Matches Elijah on
Tackle volume
Weight
Height
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Tim Terry Jr.'s senior season at Buffalo (2021).
89%match
Matches Tim on
Class year
TFL rate
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like E.J. Lightsey
The linebacker corps · Georgia Tech
- #44Kyle Efford77 tackles · 2025
- #2E.J. Lightsey76 tackles · 2025
- #1Cayman Spaulding41 tackles · 2025
- Melvin Jordan IV18 tackles · 2025
- #34Myles Forristall1 tackle · 2025
3 more on the roster · Georgia Tech team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology