Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 0-39@ USC | 9 | 6 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 49-3vs Sacramento State | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 13 | 8 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#10
K'Vion Thunderbird
Junior linebacker for Fresno State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 235 lb · Chicago, IL · Kenwood Academy
Returning to Fresno State for 2026
The numbers
13
tackles · 2026
2 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 9 tackles, 2 TFL, at USC
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Fresno State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Arizona State in 2023.
- Transferred from Arizona State to Fresno State in 2025.
K'Vion Thunderbird
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. K'Vion Thunderbird has played for two head coaches across four seasons and two programs. The receipt: 9 tackles, 2 TFL against USC — Week 1, 2026.
13 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Arizona State3-star out of Kenwood Academy
20257 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Jeff Tedford, Tim Skipper, and Matt Entz. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Arizona State3-9HC: Kenny Dillingham · Balanced
2024Arizona State11-3HC: Kenny Dillingham · Run-leaning
2025Fresno State9-4HC: Matt Entz · Run-leaning
2026Fresno State1-1HC: Matt Entz · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: tackles for loss (85th 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: 6.5 TKL/g, 1.0 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
Matt Entz
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.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fresno State | 13 | 8 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Fresno State | 32 | 12 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 3 | 2 | -- |
| 2024 | Arizona State | 4 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Arizona State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 50 | 23 | 4.5 | 1.0 | 3 | 2 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 49–3
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Fresno State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Fresno State
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +3 net (13 in / 10 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Fresno State · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #88 · 2026 recruiting class #70
DNA match
Player DNA
Coverage 'Backer
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Davhon Keys’s 2024 season.
Matches Davhon on
PD rate
Solo tackle rate
Weight
Differs from Davhon on
Class year (higher)
Sack rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Dickson Agu's junior season at Tulane (2025).
Matches Dickson on
Tackle volume
Solo tackle rate
Hurry rate
Differs from Dickson on
Height (lower)
PD rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like K'Vion Thunderbird
Background
2025 (SOPHOMORE): Appeared in seven games … started all seven before a season-ending injury … had 32 tackles … added 1.5 TFL, two interceptions, three pass breakups and a quarterback hurry … had a 59-yard interception return for a touchdown at Hawai’i (Sept. 20) … had a season-high eight tackles...
The linebacker corps · Fresno State
- #35Tytus Khajavi37 tackles · 2025
- #10K'Vion Thunderbird32 tackles · 2025
- #18Logan Studt17 tackles · 2025
- #25Justin Johnson3 tackles · 2025
- #36Tommy Nix1 tackle · 2025
5 more on the roster · Fresno State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology