Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 21-18@ Syracuse | 3 | 1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | 0 |
#10
Jayden Wayne
Senior linebacker for California. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′5″ · 255 lb · Tacoma, WA · IMG Academy
CFB Index 51 · #280 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to California 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
3
tackles · 2026
1.5 TFL · 1.5 sacks
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, at Syracuse
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for California. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Miami in 2023.
- Transferred from Washington to California in 2025.
Jayden Wayne
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Across four seasons and three programs, four head coaches: Mario Cristobal, Jedd Fisch, Justin Wilcox and Tosh Lupoi. The receipt on tape: 3 tackles, 1.5 sacks against Syracuse, Week 2, 2026.
3 TACKLES · 1.5 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
3 programs, one constant: he played.
20236 games
- Signed with Miami4-star out of IMG Academy
20246 games
- Entered the portal
202512 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
3 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023–2025
California
2026era →
Tosh Lupoi
California
Coaching transition mid-career: Justin Wilcox → Tosh Lupoi. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Miami7-6HC: Mario Cristobal · Balanced
2024Washington6-7HC: Jedd Fisch · Balanced
2025California7-6HC: Justin Wilcox · Pass-leaning
2026California1-1HC: Tosh Lupoi · Pass-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidenceBreakout
Elite: sacks (95th 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: 3.0 TKL/g, 1.5 TFL/g, 1.5 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Tosh Lupoi
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
51 · #280 of 583 LBs
Former four-star. Now #280 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #30 of 74 ACC LBs
How the All-ACC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. 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 | California | 3 | 1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | California | 26 | 9 | 4.5 | 3.0 | -- | -- | 1 |
| 2024 | Washington | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Miami | 13 | 4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 48 | 18 | 6.5 | 5.0 | 1 | -- | 1 |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 21–18
at Syracuse
3 TOT · 1 SOLO · 1 SACKS
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 3 on the road.
With A. Davies — 34 AVG · 3 IN 20 · 52 LONG · J. Sagapolutele — 182 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 54.4 · -5 rush yds (2 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
California
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · California
Returning around him
- 1 California player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -4 net (32 in / 36 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
California · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #33 · 2026 recruiting class #56
DNA match
Player DNA
Thumper
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Demon Clowney’s 2023 season.
Matches Demon on
Tackle volume
Differs from Demon on
Sack rate (higher)
Height (higher)
TFL rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Anthony Jones's junior season at Michigan State (2024).
Matches Anthony on
Hurry rate
Weight
TFL rate
Differs from Anthony on
Solo tackle rate (lower)
Sack rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Jayden Wayne
Background
Accolades - Athletic Athlon Sports Fourth-Team All-ACC (2026) Shriners Children's East-West Bowl 1000 (2026) Junior (2025) - Cal Appeared in all 13 games for the Bears while making nine starts. Tallied 25 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and added five quarterback hurries. Recorded a seas...
The linebacker corps · California
- #21Aaron Hampton41 tackles · 2025
- #10Jayden Wayne26 tackles · 2025
- #15Joshua Pierce14 tackles · 2025
- #4Justin Beadles12 tackles · 2025
- Solomon Williams7 tackles · 2025
11 more on the roster · California team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology