Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 31-3vs Houston Christian | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 0-52@ Notre Dame | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#34
Kaleb Blanton
Sophomore linebacker for Rice. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 226 lb · Manvel, TX · Manvel
Returning to Rice for 2026
The numbers
2
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Houston Christian
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for Rice. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Rice in 2024.
Kaleb Blanton
The receipt: 1 tackles against Notre Dame — Week 2, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Rice3-star out of Manvel
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Rice
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026Rice1-1HC: Scott Abell · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
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
Scott Abell
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
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Rice | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 31–3
1 TOT
Dominant 28-point win at home against Houston Christian.
With Q. Jackson — 61 rush yds (10 car) · 2 TD · C. Durkin — 54 AVG · 54 LONG · 1 NO
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Rice
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Rice
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: -2 net (20 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Rice · Last season: 5-8 · Talent rank #100 · 2026 recruiting class #104
Background
Pronunciation Guide Honors at Rice American Conference All-Academic 2025 2025 Saw action on six plays vs. Prairie View and one in the Armed Forces Bowl. 2024 Made his debut at UAB, seeing action on three kickoffs. Manvel HS Co-defensive MVP for District 10-5A and first-team TSWA 5A All-State sele...
The linebacker corps · Rice
- #33Stone Combs72 tackles · 2025
- #54Austin Harnetiaux37 tackles · 2025
- #44Cooper King8 tackles · 2025
- #14Beau Barton6 tackles · 2025
- #34Kaleb Blanton2 games · 2026
2 more on the roster · Rice team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology