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 | 5 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 70-7vs Mercyhurst | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | |
| Total | 5 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |
#6
Jaxton Eck
Senior linebacker for New Mexico. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 228 lb · Brookings, SD
CFB Index 84 · #26 of 330 interior linemenHigh confidenceReturning to New Mexico 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
5
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 INT, vs Mercyhurst
Statement game18 tacklesat Boise State (FBS) · L 25-41
Top 0.1% tackles game since 2021.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for New Mexico. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed with Idaho in 2023.
- Transferred from Idaho to New Mexico in 2025.
- Named Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year in 2025.
- Jaxton Eck granted fifth year of eligibility (Jul 25)
In Their Words
116 windows · 2026 fan posts
mexico×134.2jason×123.0new×27.9
“At Mountain West media day, CFB in the corner been a popular spot for the players in between interviews. New Mexico LB Jaxton Eck (Jason’s son) up 28-0 on his QB, Jack Layne 😂”
bluesky_curated · fan post, verbatim
Jaxton Eck
Wins his gap play after play. Idaho to New Mexico — the move that set up everything since. His first career honor landed in 2025: Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. The receipt on tape: 5 tackles against Central Michigan, Week 1, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- portal record
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
2023
- Signed with Idahoout of Brookings
202513 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
- All-Mountain Westfirst
- Mountain West Defensive Player of the Yearwinner
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
New Mexico
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🥈
ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST · 1ST TEAM
All-Mountain West 1st team (2025)
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
Low confidence
Elite: qb hurries (83rd 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: 2.5 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
Jason Eck
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.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
In the mix to repeat All-Mountain West
Based on 2025: #2 of 35 Mountain West DLs
How the All-Mountain West estimate is computed
49% estimated, 95% confidence interval 43–54%. 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 | New Mexico | 5 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | New Mexico | 128 | 65 | 6.5 | 1.5 | 2 | -- | -- |
| Career | 133 | 66 | 6.5 | 1.5 | 2 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 70–7
vs Mercyhurst
1 INT · 1 YDS
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
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
New Mexico
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · 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
Two-Gap Base
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Dmitri Johnson’s 2024 season.
Matches Dmitri on
TFL rate
Hurry rate
Sack rate
Differs from Dmitri on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Stone Combs's junior season at Nevada (2024).
Matches Stone on
Class year
Weight
TFL rate
The linebacker corps · New Mexico
- #6Jaxton Eck128 tackles · 2025
- #2Mercury Swaim52 tackles · 2025
- #48Jayden Flaker15 tackles · 2025
- #11C.J. Johnson1 tackle · 2025
- #18Clay Martineau1 tackle · 2025
5 more on the roster · New Mexico team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology