Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 41-17vs Stony Brook | 5 | 2 | 2.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 5 | 2 | 2.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 |
#42
Layton Starks
Sophomore linebacker for Ball State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 237 lb · Versailles, KY · Woodford County HS
Returning to Ball State for 2026
The numbers
5
tackles · 2026
2.5 TFL · 0.5 sacks
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, vs Stony Brook
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for Ball State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 2-star recruit to Ball State in 2024.
Layton Starks
2 stars out of high school, two seasons of real snaps at Ball State since. One game to point at: 5 tackles, 2.5 TFL against Stony Brook — Week 2, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 0.5 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- recruiting profile
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Ball State2-star out of Woodford County
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★
CFB
College
Ball State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Mike Uremovich — 5-9 over that span.
2025Ball State4-8HC: Mike Uremovich · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2026Ball State1-1HC: Mike Uremovich · Pass-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: tackles for loss (91st 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: 5.0 TKL/g, 2.5 TFL/g, 0.5 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Mike Uremovich
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 | Ball State | 5 | 2 | 2.5 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Ball State | 10 | 7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 15 | 9 | 3.5 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 41–17
vs Stony Brook
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Ball State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Ball State
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +6 net (24 in / 18 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Ball State · Last season: 4-8 · Talent rank #113 · 2026 recruiting class #113
Background
2024 (Fr.): Made two appearances on the defensive line, against Bowling Green and at Ohio, in the final games of the season. HIGH SCHOOL: Starks has signed with the Cardinals out of Woodford County High School in Kentucky, where he was a 2022 teammate with Cardinals’ offensive lineman Tristan Coo...
The linebacker corps · Ball State
- #42Layton Starks10 tackles · 2025
- #6Cincear Lewis10 tackles · 2025
- #31Jared Badie8 tackles · 2025
- #9Justin Thomas7 tackles · 2025
- #48Sam Feeney6 tackles · 2025
8 more on the roster · Ball State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology