Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 51-0vs UTEP | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 10-17@ Michigan | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 7 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#47
James Nesta
Junior linebacker for Oklahoma. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 233 lb · Huntersville, NC · William Amos Hough HS
Returning to Oklahoma for 2026
The numbers
7
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, at Michigan
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for Oklahoma. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Oklahoma in 2024.
James Nesta
Third year in the Oklahoma linebacker corps, same address the whole way. One game to point at: 4 tackles against UTEP — Week 1, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Oklahoma4-star out of Hough
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Oklahoma
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Oklahoma
Played his entire career under Brent Venables.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Brent Venables — 17-11 over that span.
2024Oklahoma6-7HC: Brent Venables · Run-leaning
2025Oklahoma10-3HC: Brent Venables · Balanced
2026Oklahoma1-1HC: Brent Venables · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
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: 3.5 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
Brent Venables
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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 51–0
vs UTEP
4 TOT · 1 REC
Dominant 51-point win at home against UTEP.
With I. Sategna — 4 rec · 76 yds · 1 TD · J. Mateer — 225 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 91.5 · 7 rush yds (3 car)
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Oklahoma
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Oklahoma
Returning around him
- 7 Oklahoma players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -13 net (16 in / 29 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Oklahoma · Last season: 10-3 (AP #8) · Talent rank #17 · 2026 recruiting class #15
Background
Seasons GP-GS UT AT TOTAL TFL SACKS INT FF FR PBU 2024 1-0 1 1 2 0.0-0 0.0-0 0 0 0 0 2025 13-0 1 3 4 1.0-2 0.0-0 0 0 0 0 Career 14-0 2 4 6 1.0-2 0.0-0 0 0 0 0 2025 (OKLAHOMA) Played in all 13 games, primarily on special teams and in a reserve role at linebacker … totaled four tackles (1.0 for los...
The linebacker corps · Oklahoma
- #10Kip Lewis76 tackles · 2025
- #38Owen Heinecke74 tackles · 2025
- #18Cole Sullivan44 tackles · 2025
- #7Taylor Heim12 tackles · 2025
- #47James Nesta4 tackles · 2025
7 more on the roster · Oklahoma team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology