Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 56-3vs Ball State | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#44
Epi Sitanilei
Sophomore defensive end for Ohio State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 258 lb · Ontario, CA
Returning to Ohio State for 2026
The numbers
1
sack · 2026
1 TFL · 2 tackles
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 tackles, vs Ball State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 defensive end for Ohio State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Ohio State in 2025.
Epi Sitanilei
He has spent two seasons in the Ohio State defensive front. One game to point at: 2 tackles, 1 sacks against Ball State — Week 1, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2025
- Signed with Ohio State4-star out of St. John Bosco
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Ohio State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Ryan Day — 13-3 over that span.
2025Ohio State12-2HC: Ryan Day · Run-leaning
2026Ohio State1-1HC: Ryan Day · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: sacks (87th 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 1 game: 2.0 TKL/g, 1.0 TFL/g, 1.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Ryan Day
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 | Ohio State | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Ohio State | 1 | -- | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 3 | 2 | 1.5 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 56–3
vs Ball State
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Ohio State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive end · Ohio State
Returning around him
- 11 Ohio State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -21 net (17 in / 38 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Ohio State · Last season: 12-2 (AP #3) · Talent rank #5 · 2026 recruiting class #4
Background
Pronunciation Career Highs 1 Tackle at Illinois (Oct. 11, 2025) 0.5 Tackles for Loss at Illinois (Oct. 11, 2025) 1 Fumble Recovery vs. Grambling (Sept. 6, 2025) Freshman (2025) Appeared in four games during his freshman season, totaling 25 snaps along the defensive line and on special teams...Fin...
The defensive line · Ohio State
- #2Kenyatta Jackson11 tackles for loss · 2025
- #3James Smith6.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #96Eddrick Houston4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #55John Walker2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #44Epi Sitanilei0.5 tackles for loss · 2025
13 more on the roster · Ohio State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology