Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 57-0vs Kent State | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 45-9vs Towson | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 5 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#17
Justin Okoronkwo
Junior linebacker for South Carolina. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 230 lb · Munich
CFB Index 50 · #289 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to South Carolina 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
5
tackles · 2026
1 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, 1 TFL, vs Towson
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for South Carolina. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Alabama in 2024.
- Transferred from Alabama to South Carolina in 2025.
Justin Okoronkwo
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Across three seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Kalen DeBoer and Shane Beamer. The receipt: 3 tackles against Kent State — Week 1, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 3 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20248 games
- Signed with Alabama3-star out of Germany
202512 games
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
South Carolina
Played his entire career under Shane Beamer.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Alabama9-4HC: Kalen DeBoer · Run-leaning
2025South Carolina4-8HC: Shane Beamer · Run-leaning
2026South Carolina2-0HC: Shane Beamer · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidenceBreakout
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: 2.5 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
Shane Beamer
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
50 · #289 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #289 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #48 of 76 SEC LBs
How the All-SEC 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 | South Carolina | 5 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | South Carolina | 63 | 39 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Alabama | 14 | 5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 82 | 48 | 5.5 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 45–9
vs Towson
2 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 TFL
Dominant 36-point win at home against Towson.
With L. Sellers — 96 yds · 0 TD · 1 INT · 119 rush yds (7 car) · 1 TD · M. Fuller — 125 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
South Carolina
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · South Carolina
Returning around him
- 3 South Carolina players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +2 net (27 in / 25 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
South Carolina · Last season: 4-8 (AP #11) · Talent rank #15 · 2026 recruiting class #14
DNA match
Player DNA
Sideline-to-Sideline
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Edgerrin Cooper’s 2021 season.
83%match
NFL Rd 2 · Pk 13
Matches Edgerrin on
Tackle volume
Sack rate
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Fred Johnson's sophomore season at South Carolina (2025).
85%match
Matches Fred on
TFL rate
Sack rate
Weight
The linebacker corps · South Carolina
- #17Justin Okoronkwo63 tackles · 2025
- Fred Johnson62 tackles · 2025
- #7Shawn Murphy49 tackles · 2025
- #34Jamian Risher Jr.4 tackles · 2025
- #15Donovan Darden1 tackle · 2025
4 more on the roster · South Carolina team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology