Senior linebacker for Kansas. 2025: 11 tackles.
6′2″ · 225 lb · Suwanee, GA
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 story
4 linebacker for Kansas. 2025: 11 tackles.
Jayson Gilliom
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. This is his fourth year in the same linebacker corps at Kansas. The receipt: 5 tackles against Missouri — Week 2, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2021–2025
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Lance Leipold.
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Lance Leipold — 21-28 over that span.
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: solo tackles (4th percentile).
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 · Per-game
2025 season · 4 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home2g | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+1g | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lance Leipold
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Player standing · 2023
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Production · CFB Index Score
Three-star recruit. Now #490 at the position.
Game log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 4 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | L 31-42@ Missouri | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Wk 4 | W 41-10vs West Virginia | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 7 | L 17-42@ Texas Tech | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 9 | L 17-42vs Kansas State | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 11 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Kansas
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Kansas
Returning around him
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Kansas · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #62 · 2026 recruiting class #61
Player DNA
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
His 2023 production profile sits closest to Isaiah Tufaga’s 2021 season.
Matches Isaiah on
Differs from Isaiah on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Brooks Miller's sophomore season at Baylor (2022).
Matches Brooks on
Differs from Brooks on
Player DNA