Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 10-15vs North Carolina | 9 | 3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 63-7vs Grambling | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Total | 13 | 4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#3
Max Carroll
Senior linebacker for TCU. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 230 lb · Memphis, TN · Briarcrest Christian High School
CFB Index 26 · #488 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to TCU 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
13
tackles · 2026
0.5 TFL · 1 PBU
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 9 tackles, 0.5 TFL, vs North Carolina
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for TCU. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to TCU in 2023.
Max Carroll
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Fourth year in the TCU linebacker corps, same address the whole way. One game to point at: 9 tackles, 0.5 TFL against North Carolina — Week 1, 2026.
13 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 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2023
- Signed with TCU3-star out of Briarcrest Christian
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
TCU
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
TCU
Played his entire career under Sonny Dykes.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Sonny Dykes — 24-16 over that span.
2023TCU5-7HC: Sonny Dykes · Pass-leaning, fast tempo
2024TCU9-4HC: Sonny Dykes · Pass-leaning
2025TCU9-4HC: Sonny Dykes · Balanced
2026TCU1-1HC: Sonny Dykes · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: qb hurries (83rd percentile). Concern: solo tackles (16th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
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: 6.5 TKL/g, 0.2 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
Sonny Dykes
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
26 · #488 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #488 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big 12
Based on 2025: #63 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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 63–7
vs Grambling
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
TCU
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · TCU
Returning around him
- 3 TCU players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -2 net (12 in / 14 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
TCU · Last season: 9-4 (AP #24) · Talent rank #40 · 2026 recruiting class #47
DNA match
Player DNA
Sideline-to-Sideline
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Blake Nichelson’s 2025 season.
73%match
Matches Blake on
Tackle volume
Weight
TFL rate
Differs from Blake on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Kendall Johnson's junior season at Duke (2025).
79%match
Matches Kendall on
Solo tackle rate
PD rate
TFL rate
Differs from Kendall on
Hurry rate (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Max Carroll
Background
AT TCU 2025 | SOPHOMORE (13/1) Played in every game … picked up 34 tackles, with 20 being solo, along with four TFLs … also had two QBHs, a PBU and a forced fumble … earned a season-high six tackles against BYU … had 1.5 TFLs on the road against Arizona State … earned four tackles in back-to-back...
The linebacker corps · TCU
- #3Max Carroll34 tackles · 2025
- #11Michael Short22 tackles · 2025
- #27Michael Teason10 tackles · 2025
- #37Hudson Hooper4 tackles · 2025
- #41Caleb Cortezno box-score line yet
7 more on the roster · TCU team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology