Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 7-33@ North Dakota State | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#59
Mac Sanders
Sophomore linebacker for Jacksonville State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 225 lb · Mcdonough, GA · Ola HS
CFB Index 66 · #157 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Jacksonville State 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
2
tackles · 2026
1 PBU
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, at North Dakota State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for Jacksonville State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Jacksonville State in 2025.
Mac Sanders
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. This is his second year in the same linebacker corps at Jacksonville State. In 2025 the league put his name on paper for the first time: All-Conference USA. The receipt on tape: 2 tackles against North Dakota State, Week 1, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- recognition record
- game log
His career
He was winning awards before he was old enough to be a story.
202512 games
- Signed with Jacksonville State3-star out of Ola
- All-Conference USAhonorable_mention
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Jacksonville State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-CONFERENCE USA
All-Conference USA mention (2025)
🎓
FRESHMAN HONORS
Freshman recognition (2025)
1 mention(s)
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Charles Kelly — 10-7 over that span.
2025Jacksonville State9-5HC: Charles Kelly · Run-heavy
2026Jacksonville State1-2HC: Charles Kelly · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
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, 1.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Charles Kelly
Pass share
43.2%
79 pass / 104 run
Plays / game
61.0
3 games
Team sack rate
4.5%
88 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning, slow tempo.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot to repeat All-Conference USA
Based on 2025: #11 of 45 Conference USA LBs
- #1Sifa Leota
- #10Parker Hughes
- #11Mac Sanders
- #12Sone Aupiu
How the All-Conference USA estimate is computed
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. 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 | Jacksonville State | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Jacksonville State | 83 | 44 | 11.5 | 1.5 | 2 | -- | -- |
| Career | 85 | 45 | 11.5 | 1.5 | 3 | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Jacksonville State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Jacksonville State
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +7 net (21 in / 14 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Jacksonville State · Last season: 9-5 · Talent rank #93 · 2026 recruiting class #86
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Christian Harris’s 2021 season.
74%match
NFL Rd 3 · Pk 11
Matches Christian on
TFL rate
Weight
Class year
Differs from Christian on
Sack rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Javante Mackey's freshman season at Arkansas State (2023).
67%match
Matches Javante on
Height
Weight
Solo tackle rate
Differs from Javante on
Class year (lower)
TFL rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Mac Sanders
Background
-2025 Honorable Mention All-Conference USA -2025 Conference USA All-Freshman -2025 New York Times Freshman All-America -2026 Phil Steele First-Team Preseason All-CUSA 2025: Played in all 14 games with 10 starts as a true freshman...Led the team in tackles with 85...Recorded team-high 11.5 tackles...
The linebacker corps · Jacksonville State
- #59Mac Sanders83 tackles · 2025
- #40Walker O'Steen78 tackles · 2025
- Myles Butler19 tackles · 2025
- #13Jacob Cruz14 tackles · 2025
- #35Aidan Thompson11 tackles · 2025
13 more on the roster · Jacksonville State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology