Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 63-7vs Utah Tech | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 28-17vs Arizona | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#31
Jake Clifton
Junior linebacker for BYU. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 230 lb · Owasso, OK
Returning to BYU for 2026
The numbers
2
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Arizona
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for BYU. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kansas State in 2022.
In Their Words
48 windows · 2026 fan posts
uluave×2230.7cade×446.1jake×106.2kansas×72.5linebacker×61.3
Jake Clifton
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Two head coaches in three seasons, at two different programs. The receipt on tape: 1 tackles against Arizona, Week 2, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
20224 games
- Signed with Kansas State3-star out of Owasso
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
1 coach2022–2023
2026
Played his entire career under Kalani Sitake.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Kansas State10-4HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning
2023Kansas State9-4HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning
2026BYU2-0HC: Kalani Sitake · Balanced, fast tempo
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 2 games: 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
Kalani Sitake
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2023
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | BYU | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Kansas State | 24 | 17 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Kansas State | 10 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 36 | 27 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 28–17
vs Arizona
1 TOT · 1 SOLO
With B. Bachmeier — 217 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 90.7 · 37 rush yds (6 car) · 1 TD · F. Shurtz — 46 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 53 LONG
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
BYU
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · BYU
Returning around him
- 2 BYU players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -5 net (9 in / 14 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
BYU · Last season: 12-2 (AP #12) · Talent rank #59 · 2026 recruiting class #21
DNA match
Player DNA
Sideline-to-Sideline
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
LB
His 2023 production profile sits closest to Matt Hohlt’s 2022 season.
64%match
Matches Matt on
Sack rate
Tackle volume
Weight
Differs from Matt on
Hurry rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Chris Rodgers's sophomore season at Tulane (2024).
Matches Chris on
TFL rate
Solo tackle rate
Sack rate
Differs from Chris on
Class year (lower)
PD rate (lower)
The linebacker corps · BYU
- #4Cade Uluave97 tackles · 2025
- #16Isaiah Glasker63 tackles · 2025
- #54Siale Esera44 tackles · 2025
- #21Miles Hall18 tackles · 2025
- #31Jake Clifton2 games · 2026
11 more on the roster · BYU team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology