Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 52-16vs North Texas | 12 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 12 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 55-0vs Howard | 5 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 17 | 10 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#46
Isaiah Jones
Redshirt senior linebacker for Indiana. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 225 lb · London, OH · London
CFB Index 91 · #13 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Indiana 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
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
Solo tackles: 87th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
17
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 12 tackles, vs North Texas
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Indiana. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Indiana in 2021.
Buzz vs Tape
Fans warmer than rivals
His own fans are far more bullish than the rival fanbase.
27.1own fans
-7.1rival fans
The depth is getting better - Isaiah Jones is an example of that at LB - but it will take time to build throughout the entire roster. The 2026 class is better, hopefully the 2027 class takes another step forward with how successful this…
Also worth knowing:
Isaiah Jones
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Isaiah Jones has been at Indiana through two head coaches in four seasons. In 2025 the league put his name on paper for the first time: All-Big Ten. The receipt: 12 tackles against North Texas — Week 1, 2026.
17 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
2021
- Signed with Indiana3-star out of Valparaiso
2022
- Signed with Indiana3-star out of London
202516 games
The role got bigger.
- All-Big Tenthird
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Indiana
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-BIG TEN
All-Big Ten mention (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
2 coaches2022
Indiana
Coaching transition mid-career: Tom Allen → Curt Cignetti. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Indiana4-8HC: Tom Allen · Pass-leaning
2024Indiana11-2HC: Curt Cignetti · Run-leaning
2025Indiana16-0HC: Curt Cignetti · Run-heavy
2026Indiana2-0HC: Curt Cignetti · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: solo tackles (87th percentile). Strength: tackles (85th percentile). Concern: tackles for loss (20th 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: 8.5 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
Curt Cignetti
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.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
In the mix to repeat All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #4 of 72 Big Ten LBs
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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 55–0
vs Howard
5 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 QB HUR
Dominant 55-point win at home against Howard.
With J. Hoover — 145 yds · 4 TD · 0 INT · QBR 75.5 · 18 rush yds (6 car) · T. Richard — 108 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Indiana
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Indiana
Returning around him
- 8 Indiana players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +0 net (17 in / 17 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Indiana · Last season: 16-0 (AP #1) · Talent rank #38 · 2026 recruiting class #29
DNA match
Player DNA
Sideline-to-Sideline
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
LB
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Anthony Brackenridge’s 2024 season.
Matches Anthony on
TFL rate
Weight
Height
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Donald Willis's senior season at Minnesota (2022).
Matches Donald on
Class year
Solo tackle rate
Tackle volume
Differs from Donald on
Hurry rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Isaiah Jones
Background
Career Notes & Records Earned his bachelor’s degree in management from Indiana ... Appeared in 33 career games with nine starts ... Recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a touchdown against Miami (Fla.) (1/20) in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship Game ... Father, D.J....
The linebacker corps · Indiana
- #5Rolijah Hardy103 tackles · 2025
- #46Isaiah Jones78 tackles · 2025
- #34Jeff Utzinger16 tackles · 2025
- #14Kaiden Turner10 tackles · 2025
- #52Clayton Allenno box-score line yet
6 more on the roster · Indiana team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology