Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 70-7vs Morgan State | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 20-48@ Texas A&M | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 5 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#9
Jalen Thompson
Senior defensive lineman for Arizona State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 265 lb · Detroit, MI · Cass Technical
CFB Index 43 · #253 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceTransferred Michigan State → Arizona 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
1
sack · 2026
1 TFL · 5 tackles · 2 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1 TFL, 3 tackles, vs Morgan State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman for Arizona State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to St. Paul's Episcopal in 2015.
- Transferred from Michigan State to Arizona State in 2026.
Jalen Thompson
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. Across four seasons and two programs, three head coaches: Mel Tucker, Jonathan Smith and Kenny Dillingham. The receipt on tape: 3 tackles, 1 sacks against Morgan State, Week 1, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
4 programs, one constant: he played.
2015
- Recruited3-star out of St. Paul's Episcopal
20237 games
- Signed with Michigan State4-star out of Cass Technical
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Arizona State
Played his entire career under Kenny Dillingham.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Arizona State
2025Michigan State
2026Arizona State
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Michigan State4-8HC: Mel Tucker · Balanced
2024Michigan State5-7HC: Jonathan Smith · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Michigan State4-8HC: Jonathan Smith · Balanced
2026Arizona State1-1HC: Kenny Dillingham · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidenceAscending
Elite: qb hurries (96th percentile). Strength: sacks (87th percentile). 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: 2.5 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
Kenny Dillingham
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
43 · #253 of 420 edge rushers
Former four-star. Now #253 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Arizona State | 5 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Michigan State | 29 | 15 | 5.5 | 2.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Michigan State | 17 | 7 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Michigan State | 19 | 4 | 4.5 | 2.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| Career | 70 | 28 | 13.0 | 5.5 | 3 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 70–7
vs Morgan State
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
3-Tech Penetrator
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jamie Sheriff’s 2023 season.
86%match
Matches Jamie on
Weight
TFL rate
Sack rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Da'Shawn Womack's junior season at Ole Miss (2025).
Matches Da'Shawn on
Class year
Sack rate
Hurry rate
Differs from Da'Shawn on
Height (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Jalen Thompson
The defensive line · Arizona State
- #99C.J. Fite6.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #10Clayton Smith6.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #4Emar'Rion Winston6 tackles for loss · 2025
- #9Jalen Thompson5.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #97Blazen Lono-Wong1 tackle for loss · 2025
15 more on the roster · Arizona State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology