Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 70-7vs Morgan State | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 20-48@ Texas A&M | 8 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 8 tackles |
| Total | 10 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#8
Martell Hughes
Junior linebacker for Arizona State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 230 lb · San Diego, CA · Madison
CFB Index 53 · #267 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Arizona 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
10
tackles · 2026
1 PBU
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 8 tackles, at Texas A&M
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Arizona State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Arizona State in 2024.
Martell Hughes
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. This is his third year in the same linebacker corps at Arizona State. One game to point at: 8 tackles against Texas A&M — Week 2, 2026.
10 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 3 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20249 games
- Signed with Arizona State3-star out of Madison
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Arizona State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Arizona State
Played his entire career under Kenny Dillingham.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Kenny Dillingham — 20-9 over that span.
2024Arizona State11-3HC: Kenny Dillingham · Run-leaning
2025Arizona State8-5HC: Kenny Dillingham · Balanced
2026Arizona State1-1HC: Kenny Dillingham · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidenceBreakout
Concern: tackles (10th 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: 5.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.5 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Kenny Dillingham
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
53 · #267 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #267 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big 12
Based on 2025: #37 of 73 Big 12 LBs
How the All-Big 12 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
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Arizona State | 10 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Arizona State | 39 | 16 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 2 | -- |
| 2024 | Arizona State | 15 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 64 | 28 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 2 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 70–7
vs Morgan State
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Arizona State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Arizona State
Returning around him
- 4 Arizona State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +3 net (24 in / 21 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Arizona State · Last season: 8-5 (AP #24) · Talent rank #45 · 2026 recruiting class #40
DNA match
Player DNA
Coverage 'Backer
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Nick Rattin’s 2022 season.
Matches Nick on
Tackle volume
TFL rate
PD rate
Differs from Nick on
Class year (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Jalen Smith's sophomore season at Tennessee (2024).
Matches Jalen on
Solo tackle rate
Tackle volume
Weight
Differs from Jalen on
PD rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Martell Hughes
The linebacker corps · Arizona State
- #22Owen Long148 tackles · 2025
- #8Martell Hughes39 tackles · 2025
- #30Zyrus Fiaseu12 tackles · 2025
- #13Prayer Young-Blackgoat7 tackles · 2025
- #18Ramere Davis1 game · 2025
5 more on the roster · Arizona State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology