Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 34-18vs South Dakota State | 9 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Total | 9 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#2
Kobie McKinzie
Senior linebacker for Northwestern. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 235 lb · Lubbock, TX · Lubbock-Cooper
CFB Index 38 · #401 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred Oklahoma → Northwestern 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
9
tackles · 2026
1 PBU
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 9 tackles, vs South Dakota State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Northwestern. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Oklahoma in 2022.
- Transferred from Oklahoma to Northwestern in 2026.
Kobie McKinzie
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Across four seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Brent Venables and David Braun. The receipt on tape: 9 tackles against South Dakota State, Week 1, 2026.
9 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
4 programs, one constant: he played.
2022
- Signed with Oklahoma4-star out of Lubbock-Cooper
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Northwestern
Played his entire career under David Braun.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Northwestern
2025Oklahoma
2026Northwestern
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Oklahoma10-3HC: Brent Venables · Balanced
2024Oklahoma6-7HC: Brent Venables · Run-leaning
2025Oklahoma10-3HC: Brent Venables · Balanced
2026Northwestern1-0HC: David Braun · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: qb hurries (83rd percentile). 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: 9.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 1.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
David Braun
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 1 game in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
38 · #401 of 583 LBs
Former four-star. Now #401 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Northwestern | 9 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Oklahoma | 32 | 12 | 6.5 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Oklahoma | 30 | 16 | 3.0 | 1.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Oklahoma | 21 | 12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 3 | -- | -- |
| Career | 92 | 44 | 10.5 | 2.5 | 5 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 34–18
9 TOT · 4 SOLO · 1 PD
With A. Chiles — 273 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · 18 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD · J. Himon II — 87 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Thumper
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Courtney McBride’s 2022 season.
71%match
Matches Courtney on
Weight
TFL rate
Solo tackle rate
Differs from Courtney on
PD rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Amar Thomas's junior season at James Madison (2025).
Matches Amar on
Tackle volume
TFL rate
Height
Differs from Amar on
Hurry rate (lower)
Solo tackle rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Kobie McKinzie
Background
2025 Redshirt Junior (at Oklahoma): Played in 12 games and made eight starts at linebacker … started each of the first eight games of the season … missed the Tennessee (11/1) game due to injury … totaled 32 tackles, including 6.5 for loss and one sack, and four QB hurries … notched a TFL and a QB...
The linebacker corps · Northwestern
- #37Mac Uihlein89 tackles · 2025
- #33Braydon Brus81 tackles · 2025
- #2Kobie McKinzie32 tackles · 2025
- #14Yanni Karlaftis11 tackles · 2025
- #34Payton Roth8 tackles · 2025
12 more on the roster · Northwestern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology