Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 42-23vs UAB | 5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 27-31vs Duke | 2 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 7 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#43
Joe Barna
Junior defensive lineman on Illinois's 2026 roster.
6′4″ · 265 lb · Wheaton, IL · Wheaton North
CFB Index 38 · #400 of 583 LBsLow confidenceReturning to Illinois 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
0
sacks · 2026
1 TFL · 7 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 0.5 TFL, 5 tackles, vs UAB
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 defensive lineman on Illinois's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Illinois in 2024.
Joe Barna
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. He has spent three seasons in the Illinois defensive front. The receipt: 5 tackles, 0.5 TFL against UAB — Week 1, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
20247 games
- Signed with Illinois3-star out of Wheaton North
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Illinois
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Illinois
Played his entire career under Bret Bielema.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Bret Bielema — 20-8 over that span.
2024Illinois10-3HC: Bret Bielema · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Illinois9-4HC: Bret Bielema · Run-leaning
2026Illinois1-1HC: Bret Bielema · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
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 2 games: 3.5 TKL/g, 0.5 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
Bret Bielema
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
38 · #400 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #400 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #50 of 72 Big Ten LBs
How the All-Big Ten 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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 42–23
vs UAB
5 TOT · 1 SOLO · 0 TFL
With K. Houser — 182 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 98.9 · 29 rush yds (3 car) · 1 TD · C. Valentine — 88 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD
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
Illinois
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Illinois
Returning around him
- 3 Illinois players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -7 net (20 in / 27 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Illinois · Last season: 9-4 (AP #23) · Talent rank #51 · 2026 recruiting class #24
DNA match
Player DNA
Thumper
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Elijah McAllister’s 2023 season.
Matches Elijah on
Weight
Differs from Elijah on
Class year (lower)
Height (lower)
PD rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to David Santiago's sophomore season at Michigan State (2025).
74%match
Matches David on
Weight
Solo tackle rate
Hurry rate
Differs from David on
PD rate (higher)
Sack rate (higher)
Background
2026 - Illinois Athlon Preseaon All-Big Ten Fourth Team 2025 - Illinois Played in all 13 games 20 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2.0 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and one forced fumble on the season Had a game-changing strip sack that led to a fumble recovery touchdown in Illinois' Music City Bowl wi...
The defensive line · Illinois
- #96Darrell Prater4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #17Isaiah Thomison3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #43Joe Barna2 tackles for loss · 2025
- #52Pat Farrell2 tackles for loss · 2025
- #90Carter Janki2 games · 2026
12 more on the roster · Illinois team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology