Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 13-41@ Notre Dame | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 36-9vs Western Illinois | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#97
Junior Poyser
Junior defensive lineman on Wisconsin's 2026 roster.
6′2″ · 328 lb · Brampton, ON · Williston Northampton School
CFB Index 82 · #31 of 330 interior linemenLow confidenceTransferred Buffalo → Wisconsin 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
2 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Western Illinois
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 defensive lineman on Wisconsin's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 2-star recruit to Buffalo in 2023.
- Transferred from Buffalo to Wisconsin in 2026.
Junior Poyser
Wins his gap play after play. Three head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. In 2025 the league put his name on paper for the first time: All-MAC. The receipt: 1 tackles against Western Illinois — Week 2, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
2023
- Signed with Buffalo2-star out of Williston Northampton School
202511 games
The role got bigger.
- All-MACthird
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-MAC
All-MAC mention (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Wisconsin
Played his entire career under Luke Fickell.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Wisconsin
2025Buffalo
2026Wisconsin
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Buffalo3-9HC: Maurice Linguist · Balanced
2024Buffalo9-4HC: Maurice Linguist · Run-heavy
2025Buffalo5-7HC: Pete Lembo · Balanced
2026Wisconsin1-1HC: Luke Fickell · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low 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: 1.0 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
Luke Fickell
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.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 36–9
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
DNA match
Player DNA
Two-Gap Base
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Ronald Hull’s 2025 season.
90%match
Matches Ronald on
Class year
Height
Sack rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jeffson Lafontant's junior season at UCF (2025).
75%match
Matches Jeffson on
Sack rate
Weight
TFL rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Junior Poyser
Background
Honors and Awards 2025: All-MAC Third Team 2025 Season (Redshirt sophomore at Buffalo): Appeared in all 12 games and seven starts at defensive tackle ... had 31 tackles, 5.5 sacks and a forced fumble on the season... named All-MAC Third Team ... posted an 83.0 PFF pass rush grade, the second-high...
The defensive line · Wisconsin
- #97Junior Poyser5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #91Hammond Russell IV2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #30Charles Perkins2 tackles for loss · 2025
- #93DeNigel Cooper1 tackle for loss · 2025
- #76Dillan Johnson0 tackles for loss · 2025
7 more on the roster · Wisconsin team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology