Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 10-48@ Alabama | 5 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 24-27vs App State | 6 | 1 | 1.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 6 tackles |
| Total | 11 | 1 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#1
Jackson Barker
Senior linebacker for East Carolina. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 227 lb · Fuquay-Varina, NC · Fuquay-Varina
CFB Index 20 · #527 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to East Carolina 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
11
tackles · 2026
2 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 tackles, 0.5 TFL, at Alabama
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for East Carolina. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
His career, year by yearJackson Barker
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Jackson Barker has been at East Carolina through two head coaches in four seasons. The receipt on tape: 6 tackles, 1.5 TFL against App State, Week 2, 2026.
11 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
East Carolina
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023–2024
East Carolina
Coaching transition mid-career: Mike Houston → Blake Harrell. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023East Carolina2-10HC: Mike Houston · Balanced
2024East Carolina8-5HC: Mike Houston · Balanced
2025East Carolina9-4HC: Blake Harrell · Run-leaning, fast tempo
2026East Carolina0-2HC: Blake Harrell · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: tackles for loss (85th percentile). Concern: solo tackles (1st 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: 5.5 TKL/g, 1.0 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
Blake Harrell
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
20 · #527 of 583 LBs
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-AAC
Based on 2025: #57 of 61 American Athletic LBs
How the All-AAC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. 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 | East Carolina | 11 | 1 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | East Carolina | 20 | 8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | East Carolina | 9 | 5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | East Carolina | 2 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 42 | 14 | 4.5 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
East Carolina
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · East Carolina
Returning around him
- 1 East Carolina player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -2 net (24 in / 26 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
East Carolina · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #83 · 2026 recruiting class #94
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Marc Pretto’s 2025 season.
Matches Marc on
TFL rate
Solo tackle rate
Weight
Differs from Marc on
Sack rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Mike Jones Jr.'s junior season at LSU (2022).
86%match
Matches Mike on
Tackle volume
TFL rate
Sack rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Jackson Barker
Background
Three-year letterman (2023-25) who has played in 39 career games … Booked 37 total tackles (16 solo) with 2.5 TFLs (-4 yards) and one sack (-2 yards) … Booked at least one tackle in 19 of 39 career games (multiple 10 times) … Registered a career-best seven tackles against Army in 2025 … Moved bac...
The linebacker corps · East Carolina
- #11DJ Johnson Jr.60 tackles · 2025
- #42Julien Davis23 tackles · 2025
- #10Crews Law23 tackles · 2025
- #1Jackson Barker20 tackles · 2025
- #43Jordan Miles9 tackles · 2025
7 more on the roster · East Carolina team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology