Senior defensive end for New Mexico State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 255 lb · Overland Park, KS
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
Holds up snap after snap without a weakness to attack.
QB hurries: 99th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
sacks · 2026
2 TFL · 13 tackles · 3 hurries
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 0.5 sacks, 1 TFL, 7 tackles, at Florida State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive end for New Mexico State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
Gabe Peterson
Holds up snap after snap without a weakness to attack. Gabe Peterson has played for three head coaches across five seasons and two programs. In 2023 the league put his name on paper for the first time: Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week. The receipt: 2 tackles against Hawai'i — Week 2, 2026.
13 TACKLES · 1.5 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
The snaps went the other way.
The role got bigger.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Jerry Kill → Tony Sanchez. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: qb hurries (99th percentile). Strength: sacks (95th percentile). Concern: solo tackles (16th percentile).
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 · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 4.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 4.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 4.3 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Tony Sanchez
Pass share
52.3%
101 pass / 92 run
Plays / game
64.3
3 games
Team sack rate
3.7%
107 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced.
Player standing · 2026
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Recognition
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-Conference USA
Based on 2025: #9 of 12 Conference USA DEs
35% estimated, 95% confidence interval 31–38%. 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.
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | New Mexico State | 13 | 4 | 2.0 | 1.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | New Mexico State | 32 | 12 | 0.5 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Utah State | 6 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | New Mexico State | 55 | 30 | 9.0 | 3.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | New Mexico State | 12 | 6 | 3.0 | 2.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 118 | 53 | 15.5 | 8.0 | -- | -- | -- |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 51–14
vs Mercyhurst
4 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 SACKS
Dominant 37-point win at home against Mercyhurst.
With T. Washington Jr. — 43 rush yds (7 car) · 2 TD · T. Hedden — 253 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 36.8 · -7 rush yds (3 car)
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 17-34@ Florida State | 7 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | — | 0 | Season-high 7 tackles |
| Wk 1 | W 51-14vs Mercyhurst | 4 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 7 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 19-29@ Hawai'i | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 13 | 4 | 2.0 | 1.5 | — | 0 |
Play style
No single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
New Mexico State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive end · New Mexico State
Returning around him
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
New Mexico State · Last season: 4-8 · Talent rank #135 · 2026 recruiting class #134
Player DNA
No single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board.
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Caden Curry’s 2024 season.
Matches Caden on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a graduate, his production profile tracks closest to Jett Bush's graduate season at Texas (2023).
Matches Jett on
Player DNA
14 more on the roster · New Mexico State team page