Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 37-27vs Hawai'i | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 1 | L 6-45vs Miami | 2 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 4 | 2 | 1.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#44
Ernest Cooper
Senior linebacker for Stanford. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 250 lb · Arlington, TX · Martin
CFB Index 46 · #330 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Stanford 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
4
tackles · 2026
1.5 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, 0.5 TFL, vs Miami
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Stanford. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Stanford in 2022.
Ernest Cooper
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Ernest Cooper has been at Stanford through four head coaches in five seasons. The receipt on tape: 2 tackles, 1 TFL against Hawai'i, Week 1, 2026.
4 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 5 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20224 games
- Signed with Stanford4-star out of Arlington Martin
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Stanford
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
4 coaches2022
Stanford
2023–2024era →
Troy Taylor
Stanford
2025era →
Frank Reich
Stanford
2026era →
Tavita Pritchard
Stanford
Played under 4 different head coaches: David Shaw, Troy Taylor, Frank Reich, and Tavita Pritchard. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Stanford3-9HC: David Shaw · Balanced
2023Stanford3-9HC: Troy Taylor · Balanced
2024Stanford3-9HC: Troy Taylor · Run-leaning
2025Stanford4-8HC: Frank Reich · Balanced
2026Stanford1-1HC: Tavita Pritchard · Pass-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 2 games: 2.0 TKL/g, 0.8 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
Tavita Pritchard
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
46 · #330 of 583 LBs
Former four-star. Now #330 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #40 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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 37–27
vs Hawai'i
2 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 TFL
With D. Warren — 310 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 79.7 · 16 rush yds (5 car) · A. Flintoft — 43 AVG · 2 IN 20 · 49 LONG
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Stanford
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Stanford
Returning around him
- 2 Stanford players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -6 net (6 in / 12 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Stanford · Last season: 4-8 · Talent rank #50 · 2026 recruiting class #37
DNA match
Player DNA
Thumper
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Cooper McDonald’s 2024 season.
Matches Cooper on
Tackle volume
Class year
Differs from Cooper on
Hurry rate (lower)
Solo tackle rate (higher)
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Connor O'Toole's senior season at Utah (2024).
Matches Connor on
TFL rate
Weight
Solo tackle rate
Differs from Connor on
PD rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Ernest Cooper
The linebacker corps · Stanford
- #35Matt Rose106 tackles · 2025
- Jahsiah Galvan50 tackles · 2025
- #11Tevarua Tafiti32 tackles · 2025
- #38Zach Johnson28 tackles · 2025
- #44Ernest Cooper23 tackles · 2025
16 more on the roster · Stanford team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology