Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 41-13vs Wisconsin | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 2 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 2 |
#12
Jayden Sanders
Sophomore cornerback on Notre Dame's 2026 roster.
6′0″ · 195 lb · Kilgore, TX · Kilgore/Michigan
CFB Index 19 · #508 of 544 safetiesLow confidenceTransferred Michigan → Notre Dame 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.
Recruiting
4★
CB recruit
No. 229 nationally · Signed with Michigan
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 cornerback on Notre Dame's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Michigan in 2025.
- Transferred from Michigan to Notre Dame in 2026.
Buzz vs Tape
Every angle we can check here reads about where you'd expect this season.
22.1own fans
13.3national conversation
Jayden Sanders
Moves between deep coverage and the slot. Jayden Sanders has played for two head coaches across two seasons and two programs. The receipt: 1 tackles against Wisconsin — Week 1, 2026.
1 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
20259 games
- Signed with Michigan4-star out of Kilgore
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Notre Dame
2025Michigan
2026Notre Dame
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2025Michigan9-4HC: Biff Poggi · Run-leaning
2026Notre Dame2-0HC: Marcus Freeman · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Elite: passes defended (94th 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 1 game: 1.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 2.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Marcus Freeman
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
19 · #508 of 544 safeties
Former four-star. Now #508 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Notre Dame | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Michigan | 23 | 16 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 24 | 17 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 41–13
vs Wisconsin
1 TOT · 1 SOLO · 2 PD
Dominant 28-point win at home against Wisconsin.
With C. Carr — 239 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 81.3 · -6 rush yds (2 car) · A. Williams — 90 rush yds (20 car) · 2 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Hybrid Nickel
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jerome Carter’s 2024 season.
Matches Jerome on
PD rate
Tackle volume
Height
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Anquon Fegans's freshman season at Auburn (2025).
89%match
Matches Anquon on
Class year
PD rate
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like Jayden Sanders
The secondary · Notre Dame
- #8Adon Shuler52 tackles · 2025
- #9Tae Johnson48 tackles · 2025
- #2Dylahn McKinney34 tackles · 2025
- #15Leonard Moore31 tackles · 2025
- #12Jayden Sanders23 tackles · 2025
13 more on the roster · Notre Dame team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology