Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 73-3vs VMI | 3 | 1 | 1.5 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 44-21vs Old Dominion | 4 | 3 | 2.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 7 | 4 | 3.5 | 2.0 | — | 0 |
#3
Kaleb Spencer
Senior linebacker for Virginia Tech. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 229 lb · Gloucester, VA · Life Christian Academy
CFB Index 48 · #306 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Virginia Tech 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
7
tackles · 2026
3.5 TFL · 2 sacks
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 sacks, vs VMI
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Virginia Tech. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Miami in 2023.
- Transferred from Miami to Virginia Tech in 2024.
Kaleb Spencer
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Across four seasons and two programs, three head coaches: Mario Cristobal, Brent Pry and James Franklin. The receipt on tape: 4 tackles, 2 TFL against Old Dominion, Week 2, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 2 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 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2023
- Signed with Miami3-star out of Life Christian Academy
202411 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023–2025
Virginia Tech
Coaching transition mid-career: Brent Pry → James Franklin. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Miami7-6HC: Mario Cristobal · Balanced
2024Virginia Tech6-7HC: Brent Pry · Run-leaning
2025Virginia Tech3-9HC: Brent Pry · Run-leaning
2026Virginia Tech2-0HC: James Franklin · Balanced, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: tackles for loss (98th percentile). Strength: sacks (97th percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
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: 3.5 TKL/g, 1.8 TFL/g, 1.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
James Franklin
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
48 · #306 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #306 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #34 of 74 ACC LBs
How the All-ACC 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 | Virginia Tech | 7 | 4 | 3.5 | 2.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Virginia Tech | 67 | 31 | 9.0 | 0.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Virginia Tech | 32 | 22 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | Miami | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 107 | 57 | 17.5 | 3.5 | 3 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 73–3
vs VMI
3 TOT · 1 SOLO · 1 SACKS
Dominant 70-point win at home against VMI.
With Q. Brown — 6 rec · 109 yds · 1 TD · E. Grunkemeyer — 224 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · 6 rush yds (2 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Virginia Tech
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Virginia Tech
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +2 net (29 in / 27 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Virginia Tech · Last season: 3-9 · Talent rank #27 · 2026 recruiting class #30
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jeslord Boateng’s 2021 season.
81%match
Matches Jeslord on
Sack rate
TFL rate
Class year
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jonathan Thompson's junior season at Cincinnati (2025).
90%match
Matches Jonathan on
TFL rate
Solo tackle rate
PD rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Kaleb Spencer
The linebacker corps · Virginia Tech
- #3Kaleb Spencer67 tackles · 2025
- #16Noah Chambers43 tackles · 2025
- #33Keon Wylie28 tackles · 2025
- #30Curtis Jones Jr.22 tackles · 2025
- #41George Ballance10 tackles · 2025
5 more on the roster · Virginia Tech team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology