Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 45-6@ Stanford | 9 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 77-7vs Florida A&M | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 11 | 6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#8
Marquise Lightfoot
Junior defensive lineman for Miami. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′5″ · 230 lb · Chicago, IL
CFB Index 59 · #158 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceReturning to Miami 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
1
sack · 2026
1 TFL · 11 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 tackles, vs Florida A&M
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 defensive lineman for Miami. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 5-star recruit to Miami in 2024.
Buzz vs Tape
Country hotter than the fans
The wider college football conversation reads him warmer than his own fans do — a gap of 45 points in belief.
25own fans
70national conversation
In Their Words
204 windows · 2026 fan posts
blount×786.9marquise×547.4armondo×599.5defensive×22.9moten×135.4damon×95.4become×79.2wilson×23.9
Marquise Lightfoot
Wins his gap play after play. He has spent three seasons in the Miami defensive front. One game to point at: 9 tackles against Stanford — Week 1, 2026.
11 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Miami5-star out of Kenwood Academy
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★★
CFB
College
Miami
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Miami
Played his entire career under Mario Cristobal.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Mario Cristobal — 25-6 over that span.
2024Miami10-3HC: Mario Cristobal · Balanced
2025Miami13-3HC: Mario Cristobal · Balanced
2026Miami2-0HC: Mario Cristobal · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Elite: sacks (87th percentile). Concern: tackles (27th 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 2 games: 5.5 TKL/g, 0.5 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
Mario Cristobal
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #26 of 73 ACC DLs
How the All-ACC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. 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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 77–7
vs Florida A&M
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
Miami
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Miami
Returning around him
- 9 Miami players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -8 net (12 in / 20 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Miami · Last season: 13-3 (AP #10) · Talent rank #12 · 2026 recruiting class #9
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 2026 production profile sits closest to Meffy Koloamatangi’s 2016 season.
Matches Meffy on
Sack rate
Weight
Height
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Tevin Jones's junior season at Florida International (2021).
79%match
Matches Tevin on
Class year
Weight
TFL rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Marquise Lightfoot
The defensive line · Miami
- #99Ahmad Moten9 tackles for loss · 2025
- #10Damon Wilson Jr.9 tackles for loss · 2025
- #5Justin Scott6.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #8Marquise Lightfoot5.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #97Keona Davis3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
14 more on the roster · Miami team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology