Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 62-13vs UL Monroe | 8 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 8 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 38-13@ Minnesota | 4 | 3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 12 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#10
Jalen Smith
Junior linebacker for Mississippi State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 230 lb · Grayson, GA · Grayson HS (Tennessee)
CFB Index 34 · #431 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Mississippi State 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
12
tackles · 2026
1 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 4 tackles, 0.5 TFL, at Minnesota
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Mississippi State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Tennessee in 2023.
Jalen Smith
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Jalen Smith has played for two head coaches across four seasons and two programs. The receipt: 8 tackles, 0.5 TFL against UL Monroe — Week 1, 2026.
12 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20234 games
- Signed with Tennessee4-star out of Grayson
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023
Greg Knox
Mississippi State
Coaching transition mid-career: Greg Knox → Jeff Lebby. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Tennessee9-4HC: Josh Heupel · Run-leaning
2024Tennessee10-3HC: Josh Heupel · Run-heavy
2025Mississippi State5-8HC: Jeff Lebby · Run-leaning
2026Mississippi State2-0HC: Jeff Lebby · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Concern: solo tackles (16th 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: 6.0 TKL/g, 0.5 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
Jeff Lebby
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
34 · #431 of 583 LBs
Former four-star. Now #431 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #60 of 76 SEC LBs
How the All-SEC 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 | Mississippi State | 12 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Mississippi State | 57 | 20 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Tennessee | 34 | 13 | 1.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Tennessee | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 107 | 40 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 38–13
at Minnesota
4 TOT · 3 SOLO · 0 TFL
Dominant 25-point win on the road against Minnesota.
With K. Taylor — 227 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 88.8 · 86 rush yds (13 car) · A. Evans III — 6 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Mississippi State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Mississippi State
Returning around him
- 2 Mississippi State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -12 net (28 in / 40 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Mississippi State · Last season: 5-8 · Talent rank #20 · 2026 recruiting class #23
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Dorian Mausi’s 2021 season.
Matches Dorian on
TFL rate
Weight
Sack rate
Differs from Dorian on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jaiden Ausberry's junior season at Notre Dame (2025).
72%match
Matches Jaiden on
Tackle volume
Solo tackle rate
TFL rate
Differs from Jaiden on
Hurry rate (lower)
Sack rate (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Jalen Smith
Background
Career Honors 2025 Butkus Award Preseason Watch List 2024 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll 2024 SEC All-Freshman 2023 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll Career Notes Played in 30 career games with zero starts … Following the 2025 season, had 95 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, one pass breakup … One 10+ tack...
The linebacker corps · Mississippi State
- #10Jalen Smith57 tackles · 2025
- #7Zakari Tillman47 tackles · 2025
- #16Derion Gullette38 tackles · 2025
- #11Tyler Lockhart34 tackles · 2025
- #45James Heard Jr.12 tackles · 2025
6 more on the roster · Mississippi State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology