Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 31-0vs Charleston Southern | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 7-22@ Clemson | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#34
JaMari Whitehead
Senior linebacker for Georgia Southern. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 235 lb · Jacksonville, FL · Raines
Returning to Georgia Southern for 2026
The numbers
2
tackles · 2026
1 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, 1 TFL, at Clemson
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Georgia Southern. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Georgia Southern in 2023.
JaMari Whitehead
Third year in the Georgia Southern linebacker corps, same address the whole way. The receipt: 1 tackles, 1 TFL against Clemson — Week 2, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Georgia Southern3-star out of Raines
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Georgia Southern
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2024
Georgia Southern
2026
Georgia Southern
Played his entire career under Clay Helton.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Clay Helton — 15-13 over that span.
2023Georgia Southern6-7HC: Clay Helton · Pass-leaning
2024Georgia Southern8-5HC: Clay Helton · Balanced
2026Georgia Southern1-1HC: Clay Helton · Pass-heavy
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, 0.5 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
Clay Helton
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Georgia Southern | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Georgia Southern | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Georgia Southern | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 6 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 31–0
1 TOT
Dominant 31-point win at home against Charleston Southern.
With M. Johnson — 281 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 66.4 · A. Smith — 40 AVG · 42 LONG · 4 NO
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Georgia Southern
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Georgia Southern
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: -1 net (17 in / 18 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Georgia Southern · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #78 · 2026 recruiting class #89
Background
2024-25 - Sun Belt Conference Academic Commissioner’s List 2025-26: Played in two games … Saw action on eight special teams plays … Played six snaps on special teams at Fresno State and two in the win over Jax State … Made the Honor Roll in the fall. 2024-25: Played in 12 games … Saw action on 14...
The linebacker corps · Georgia Southern
- #1Brandon Tyson84 tackles · 2025
- #4Anthony Bynum63 tackles · 2025
- #18MJ Stroud33 tackles · 2025
- #30CJ Allen Jr.16 tackles · 2025
- #34JaMari Whitehead2 games · 2026
20 more on the roster · Georgia Southern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology