Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 33-20vs Oregon State | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#18
Khalil Laufau
Senior defensive lineman on Houston's 2026 roster.
6′3″ · 290 lb · Salt Lake City, UT · Herriman HS
CFB Index 74 · #57 of 330 interior linemenLow confidenceReturning to Houston 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
0
sacks · 2026
2 tackles
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, vs Oregon State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman on Houston's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Washington State in 2023.
- Transferred from Washington State to Houston in 2025.
Khalil Laufau
Wins his gap play after play. Three head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. The receipt on tape: 2 tackles against Oregon State, Week 1, 2026.
2 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.
20236 games
- Signed with Washington State3-star out of Herriman
202512 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023–2024
Houston
Coaching transition mid-career: Dana Holgorsen → Willie Fritz. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Washington State5-7HC: Jake Dickert · Pass-leaning
2024Washington State8-5HC: Pete Kaligis · Run-leaning
2025Houston10-3HC: Willie Fritz · Run-leaning
2026Houston2-0HC: Willie Fritz · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low confidenceSustained Ascent
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 1 game: 2.0 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
Willie Fritz
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
74 · #57 of 330 interior linemen
Three-star recruit. Now #57 at the position.
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-Big 12
Based on 2025: #5 of 35 Big 12 DLs
How the All-Big 12 estimate is computed
35% estimated, 95% confidence interval 31–38%. 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 | Houston | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Houston | 34 | 19 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Washington State | 15 | 7 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Washington State | 12 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 63 | 31 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Houston
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Houston
Returning around him
- 1 Houston player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +1 net (18 in / 17 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Houston · Last season: 10-3 (AP #25) · Talent rank #57 · 2026 recruiting class #38
DNA match
Player DNA
Two-Gap Base
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Joe Hjelle’s 2025 season.
91%match
Matches Joe on
Class year
Height
Sack rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jason Williams's junior season at Central Michigan (2023).
85%match
NFL Rd 3 · Pk 5
Matches Jason on
TFL rate
Hurry rate
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like Khalil Laufau
Background
As a Junior (2025) Polynesian Player of the Year Watch List Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Midseason All-Texas Second Team Started all 12 games in which he appeared at defensive end One 80+ and three 70+ defense grades One 80+ and six 70+ run defense grades Seven 70+ tackling grades Notched two g...
The defensive line · Houston
- #18Khalil Laufau3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #9Ashton Porter2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #98Myles Parker1 tackle for loss · 2025
- #90De'Marion Thomas0.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #45Chance Bryant0 tackles for loss · 2025
11 more on the roster · Houston team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology