Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 59-7vs Texas State | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 24-23vs Ohio State | 9 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Total | 12 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#28
Justin Cryer
Senior linebacker for Texas. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 241 lb · Katy, TX · Royal
CFB Index 39 · #391 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred Florida State → Texas 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
12
tackles · 2026
1 TFL · 1 PBU
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 9 tackles, 1 TFL, vs Ohio State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Texas. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Northwestern in 2023.
- Transferred from Florida State to Texas in 2026.
In Their Words
143 windows · 2026 fan posts
tyanthony×1996.1justin×110.2biles×127.4level×45.0linebacker×27.5texas×10.2starting×14.2smith×14.2
Justin Cryer
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Two head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. The receipt on tape: 9 tackles, 1 TFL against Ohio State, Week 2, 2026.
12 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
4 programs, one constant: he played.
20234 games
- Signed with Northwestern3-star out of Brookshire Royal
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Texas
Played his entire career under Steve Sarkisian.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Texas
2025Florida State
2026Texas
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Florida State13-1HC: Mike Norvell · Balanced
2024Florida State2-10HC: Mike Norvell · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Florida State5-7HC: Mike Norvell · Run-leaning
2026Texas2-0HC: Steve Sarkisian · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: qb hurries (96th percentile). Concern: solo tackles (7th 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: 6.0 TKL/g, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.5 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Steve Sarkisian
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
39 · #391 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #391 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Texas | 12 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Florida State | 43 | 15 | 5.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Florida State | 28 | 17 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | Florida State | 10 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 93 | 40 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 24–23
vs Ohio State
9 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 TFL
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 1 at home.
With A. Manning — 195 yds · 1 TD · 1 INT · QBR 83.0 · 24 rush yds (8 car) · D. Smothers — 74 rush yds (21 car) · 2 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jerry Roberts’s 2021 season.
Matches Jerry on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Sack rate
Differs from Jerry on
Hurry rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to TW Ayers's junior season at Arkansas State (2022).
Matches TW on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like Justin Cryer
Background
A first-year linebacker from Katy, Texas … transferred to Texas from Florida State in spring 2026 … played in 26 games with 10 starts across three seasons at Florida State … named to 2023 All-ACC Academic Team. BEFORE TEXAS JUNIOR (2025) Appeared in all 12 games with career-high eight starts … ea...
The linebacker corps · Texas
- #3Rasheem Biles100 tackles · 2025
- #26Ty'Anthony Smith59 tackles · 2025
- #28Justin Cryer43 tackles · 2025
- #45Darius Snow34 tackles · 2025
- #14Brad Spence21 tackles · 2025
7 more on the roster · Texas team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology