Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 59-7vs Eastern Illinois | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 2 | |
| Wk 2 | L 13-38vs Mississippi State | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 7 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 2 |
#49
Matt Kingsbury
Senior linebacker for Minnesota. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 235 lb · Chicago, IL · St. Rita
CFB Index 48 · #307 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Minnesota 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
7
tackles · 2026
2 PBU
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, vs Eastern Illinois
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Minnesota. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Minnesota in 2023.
Matt Kingsbury
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Fourth year in the Minnesota linebacker corps, same address the whole way. One game to point at: 5 tackles against Mississippi State — Week 2, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Minnesota3-star out of St. Rita
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Minnesota
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Minnesota
Played his entire career under P.J. Fleck.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under P.J. Fleck — 23-18 over that span.
2023Minnesota6-7HC: P.J. Fleck · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2024Minnesota8-5HC: P.J. Fleck · Balanced
2025Minnesota8-5HC: P.J. Fleck · Balanced, slow tempo
2026Minnesota1-1HC: P.J. Fleck · Pass-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: passes defended (94th percentile). Strength: qb hurries (83rd 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 2 games: 3.5 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
P.J. Fleck
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
48 · #307 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #307 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #40 of 72 Big Ten LBs
How the All-Big Ten 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 1 · 2026
W 59–7
2 TOT · 2 SOLO · 2 PD
Dominant 52-point win at home against Eastern Illinois.
With J. Tracy — 5 rec · 98 yds · D. Lindsey — 264 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 86.2 · 6 rush yds (2 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Minnesota
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Minnesota
Returning around him
- 1 Minnesota player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -1 net (19 in / 20 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Minnesota · Last season: 8-5 · Talent rank #41 · 2026 recruiting class #28
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to K.J. Cloyd’s 2023 season.
76%match
Matches K.J. on
Tackle volume
Weight
Sack rate
Differs from K.J. on
Class year (higher)
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Blake Purchase's junior season at Oregon (2025).
Matches Blake on
Tackle volume
Sack rate
Weight
Differs from Blake on
Hurry rate (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Matt Kingsbury
Background
PRONUNCIATION Your browser does not support HTML5 audio. HONORS: Academic All-Big Ten (2025, 2024) 2025 • JUNIOR SEASON: Played in 12 games • made 34 tackles and had 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks • broke up one pass and recovered three fumbles, returning one for a touchdown. Game-by-Game: To...
The linebacker corps · Minnesota
- #6Maverick Baranowski102 tackles · 2025
- #29Andrew Marshall61 tackles · 2025
- #49Matt Kingsbury34 tackles · 2025
- #2Emmanuel Karmo14 tackles · 2025
- #19Joey Gerlach11 tackles · 2025
5 more on the roster · Minnesota team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology