Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 41-13vs Wisconsin | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#23
Ja'Kobe Clapper
Freshman linebacker for Notre Dame. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 230 lb · Cincinnati, OH · St. Xavier
Returning to Notre Dame for 2026
The numbers
1
tackle · 2026
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Wisconsin
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 linebacker for Notre Dame. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Notre Dame in 2026.
Ja'Kobe Clapper
The receipt: 1 tackles against Wisconsin — Week 1, 2026.
1 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- game log
His career
2026
- Signed with Notre Dame3-star out of St. Xavier
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Notre Dame
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026Notre Dame2-0HC: Marcus Freeman · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
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 1 game: 1.0 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
Marcus Freeman
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Notre Dame | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 41–13
vs Wisconsin
1 TOT
Dominant 28-point win at home against Wisconsin.
With C. Carr — 239 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 81.3 · -6 rush yds (2 car) · A. Williams — 90 rush yds (20 car) · 2 TD
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Notre Dame
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Notre Dame
Returning around him
- 6 Notre Dame players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -9 net (7 in / 16 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Notre Dame · Last season: 10-2 (AP #9) · Talent rank #6 · 2026 recruiting class #5
The linebacker corps · Notre Dame
- #34Drayk Bowen67 tackles · 2025
- #4Jaiden Ausberry51 tackles · 2025
- #27Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa48 tackles · 2025
- #3Jaylen Sneed35 tackles · 2025
- #23Ja'Kobe Clapper1 game · 2026
6 more on the roster · Notre Dame team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology