Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 23-42@ Illinois | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 26-20vs UL Monroe | 10 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | Season-high 10 tackles |
| Total | 15 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 |
#3
Ike Esonwune
Junior linebacker for UAB. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 225 lb · Manor, TX · Manor
CFB Index 17 · #539 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred Oklahoma State → UAB 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
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage.
QB hurries: 96th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
15
tackles · 2026
1 PBU
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 10 tackles, 1 INT, vs UL Monroe
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for UAB. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Oklahoma State in 2023.
- Transferred from Oklahoma State to UAB in 2026.
Ike Esonwune
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. Across three seasons and two programs, three head coaches: Mike Gundy, Doug Meacham and Alex Mortensen. The receipt: 10 tackles, 1 INT against UL Monroe — Week 2, 2026.
15 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 Oklahoma State3-star out of Manor
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
UAB
2025–2026era →
Alex Mortensen
UAB
Coaching transition mid-career: Trent Dilfer → Alex Mortensen. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to UAB
2025Oklahoma State
2026UAB
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Oklahoma State3-9HC: Mike Gundy · Pass-leaning
2025Oklahoma State1-11HC: Doug Meacham · Balanced
2026UAB1-1HC: Alex Mortensen · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: qb hurries (96th percentile). Concern: tackles for loss (20th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
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: 7.5 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.5 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Alex Mortensen
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.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UAB | 15 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Oklahoma State | 28 | 11 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Oklahoma State | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 44 | 18 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 26–20
vs UL Monroe
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Coverage 'Backer
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
LB
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Richard Moore’s 2019 season.
Matches Richard on
Tackle volume
Hurry rate
Sack rate
Differs from Richard on
Class year (lower)
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Sione Fotu's junior season at Utah (2024).
79%match
Matches Sione on
Solo tackle rate
Tackle volume
Height
Differs from Sione on
Hurry rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Ike Esonwune
Background
Pronunciation: eh-su-wuh-neh 2024 & 2025 Academic All-Big 12 selection 2025 (Oklahoma State): Played in 12 games Totaled 31 tackles, 11 solo Added two pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, and a fumble recovery on the season 2024: Appeared in 10 games, only missing the Arkansas and Colorado mat...
The linebacker corps · UAB
- #5Eddy Toussom46 tackles · 2025
- #6Calvin Pitcher38 tackles · 2025
- #35Muaaz Byard37 tackles · 2025
- #4Marlin Dean32 tackles · 2025
- #3Ike Esonwune28 tackles · 2025
12 more on the roster · UAB team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology