Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 63-7vs Utah Tech | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#33
Maika Kaufusi
Junior linebacker for BYU. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 235 lb · Cottonwood Heights, UT
Returning to BYU for 2026
The numbers
1
tackle · 2026
1 TFL
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, 1 TFL, vs Utah Tech
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for BYU. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to BYU in 2022.
Maika Kaufusi
This is his second year in the same linebacker corps at BYU. The receipt: 1 tackles, 1 TFL against Utah Tech — Week 1, 2026.
1 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2022
- Signed with BYU3-star out of Alta
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
BYU
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Kalani Sitake — 14-2 over that span.
2025BYU12-2HC: Kalani Sitake · Run-leaning
2026BYU2-0HC: Kalani Sitake · Balanced, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
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: 1.0 TKL/g, 1.0 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
Kalani Sitake
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
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
BYU
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · BYU
Returning around him
- 2 BYU players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -5 net (9 in / 14 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
BYU · Last season: 12-2 (AP #12) · Talent rank #59 · 2026 recruiting class #21
The linebacker corps · BYU
- #4Cade Uluave97 tackles · 2025
- #16Isaiah Glasker63 tackles · 2025
- #54Siale Esera44 tackles · 2025
- #21Miles Hall18 tackles · 2025
- #33Maika Kaufusi2 tackles · 2025
11 more on the roster · BYU team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology