Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 38-7vs Central Michigan | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 70-7vs Mercyhurst | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#94
Jalen McIver
Junior defensive tackle for New Mexico. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 278 lb · Tuscaloosa, AL
Returning to New Mexico for 2026
The numbers
1
sack · 2026
1 TFL · 2 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1 TFL, 1 tackles, vs Mercyhurst
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 defensive tackle for New Mexico. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed with New Mexico in 2025.
Jalen McIver
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. This is his second year in the same defensive front at New Mexico. The receipt on tape: 1 tackles, 1 sacks against Mercyhurst, Week 2, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
20258 games
- Signed with New Mexicoout of Jones College
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
New Mexico
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Jason Eck — 11-4 over that span.
2025New Mexico9-4HC: Jason Eck · Run-leaning
2026New Mexico2-0HC: Jason Eck · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: sacks (87th percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
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, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.5 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Jason Eck
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Backup
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | New Mexico | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | New Mexico | 10 | 2 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 12 | 4 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 70–7
vs Mercyhurst
1 TOT · 1 SOLO · 1 SACKS
Dominant 63-point win at home against Mercyhurst.
With C. Steinkamp — 59 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 76 LONG · M. Kern — 38 AVG · 3 IN 20 · 39 LONG
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
New Mexico
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive tackle · New Mexico
Returning around him
- 1 New Mexico player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +0 net (14 in / 14 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
New Mexico · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #112 · 2026 recruiting class #87
DNA match
Player DNA
3-Tech Penetrator
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Nic Caraway’s 2023 season.
82%match
Matches Nic on
Height
Sack rate
TFL rate
Differs from Nic on
Class year (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Jeremy Meiser's freshman season at Northwestern (2021).
75%match
Matches Jeremy on
Weight
Hurry rate
Sack rate
Differs from Jeremy on
Class year (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Jalen McIver
The defensive line · New Mexico
- #45Brett Karhu11 tackles for loss · 2025
- #10Darren Agu3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #92Brian Booker3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #15Xavier Slayton3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #94Jalen McIver2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
15 more on the roster · New Mexico team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology