Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 17-3vs Tulane | 2 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 31-27@ Illinois | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Total | 5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#42
Kendall Johnson
Junior linebacker for Duke. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 225 lb · Gaithersburg, MD · Quince Orchard
CFB Index 41 · #374 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Duke 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
0.5 TFL · 1 PBU
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, at Illinois
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Duke. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Duke in 2023.
Kendall Johnson
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. Kendall Johnson has played for two head coaches in four seasons at Duke. One game to point at: 3 tackles against Illinois — Week 2, 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 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20233 games
- Signed with Duke3-star out of Quince Orchard
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Duke
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023
Trooper Taylor
Duke
Coaching transition mid-career: Trooper Taylor → Manny Diaz. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Duke8-5HC: Trooper Taylor · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2024Duke9-4HC: Manny Diaz · Pass-leaning
2025Duke9-5HC: Manny Diaz · Balanced
2026Duke2-0HC: Manny Diaz · Run-heavy
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, 0.2 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
Manny Diaz
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
41 · #374 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #374 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #50 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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 31–27
at Illinois
3 TOT · 1 SOLO · 1 PD
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 4 on the road.
With W. Eget — 206 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 75.9 · -2 rush yds (1 car) · N. Sheppard — 147 rush yds (24 car) · 1 TD
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
Duke
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Duke
Returning around him
- 3 Duke players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +2 net (19 in / 17 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Duke · Last season: 9-5 · Talent rank #69 · 2026 recruiting class #71
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 Keon Wylie’s 2025 season.
Matches Keon on
Solo tackle rate
Tackle volume
Differs from Keon on
Class year (lower)
Height (higher)
PD rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Max Carroll's junior season at TCU (2025).
Matches Max on
Solo tackle rate
PD rate
TFL rate
Differs from Max on
Hurry rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Kendall Johnson
Background
2026: Returning linebacker … two-time Academic All-ACC selection (2024-25) … in 26 career games (two starts), has compiled 56 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, one caused fumble, two PBUs and four QB pressures … recorded 1+ tackle in 19 games, 3+ in 11 contests and a career-high eight against Illinois...
The linebacker corps · Duke
- #34Luke Mergott91 tackles · 2025
- #42Kendall Johnson37 tackles · 2025
- #7Nick Morris Jr.18 tackles · 2025
- #31Elliott Schaper16 tackles · 2025
- #24Bradley Gompers14 tackles · 2025
6 more on the roster · Duke team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology