Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 30-20vs Toledo | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 35-7vs Eastern Michigan | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#13
Isaac Smith
Senior edge rusher on Michigan State's 2026 roster.
6′6″ · 260 lb · Wagoner, OK · Wagoner
CFB Index 28 · #336 of 420 edge rushersMedium confidenceReturning to Michigan State 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
0
sacks · 2026
3 tackles · 1 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, vs Eastern Michigan
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 edge rusher on Michigan State's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Texas Tech in 2021.
Isaac Smith
Holds up snap after snap without a weakness to attack. Three head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. One game to point at: 2 tackles against Eastern Michigan — Week 2, 2026.
3 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.
2021
- Signed with Texas Tech3-star out of Wagoner
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
3 coaches2022
Michigan State
Played under 3 different head coaches: Mel Tucker, Jonathan Smith, and Pat Fitzgerald. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Texas Tech8-5HC: Joey McGuire · Balanced, fast tempo
2024Texas Tech8-5HC: Joey McGuire · Balanced, fast tempo
2025Michigan State4-8HC: Jonathan Smith · Balanced
2026Michigan State2-0HC: Pat Fitzgerald · Run-heavy, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Elite: qb hurries (83rd 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 2 games: 1.5 TKL/g, 0.0 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
Pat Fitzgerald
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
28 · #336 of 420 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #336 at the position.
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #7 of 8 Big Ten EDGEs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
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.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Michigan State | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Michigan State | 25 | 15 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Texas Tech | 32 | 15 | 3.5 | 2.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Texas Tech | 9 | 5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 69 | 36 | 5.5 | 3.5 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 30–20
vs Toledo
1 TOT · 1 SOLO
With A. Milivojevic — 247 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 87.3 · -5 rush yds (6 car) · C. Mccray — 4 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
No single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Michigan State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Edge · Michigan State
Returning around him
- 2 Michigan State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -18 net (28 in / 46 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Michigan State · Last season: 4-8 · Talent rank #61 · 2026 recruiting class #45
DNA match
Player DNA
Versatile End
No single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board.
EDGE
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Cam Williams’s 2023 season.
81%match
Matches Cam on
Weight
Sack rate
TFL rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Tyreem Powell's junior season at Rutgers (2023).
Matches Tyreem on
Class year
Weight
TFL rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Isaac Smith
Background
Sixth-year graduate edge defender enters his second season at Michigan State in 2026 . . . received an additional year of eligibility from the NCAA for the 2026 season . . . transferred to Michigan State in the summer of 2025 after spending four years at Texas Tech (2021-24) . . . has played in 3...
The defensive line · Michigan State
- #23Kenny Soares Jr.4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #11Anelu Lafaele2 tackles for loss · 2025
- #96Eli Coenen1.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #13Isaac Smith1 tackle for loss · 2025
- #25Carlos Hazelwood0.5 tackles for loss · 2025
14 more on the roster · Michigan State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology