Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 0-39@ USC | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 49-3vs Sacramento State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#9
Merhauti Xepera
Senior defensive lineman on Fresno State's 2026 roster.
6′3″ · 278 lb · Maricopa, AZ · Higley HS
CFB Index 35 · #300 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceReturning to Fresno 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
0
sacks · 2026
2 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Sacramento State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman on Fresno State's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Fresno State in 2022.
Merhauti Xepera
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. Merhauti Xepera has played for three head coaches in five seasons at Fresno State. The receipt on tape: 1 tackles against Sacramento State, Week 2, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2022
- Signed with Fresno State3-star out of Higley
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Fresno State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
3 coaches2022–2023
Fresno State
2024era →
Tim Skipper
Fresno State
2025–2026era →
Matt Entz
Fresno State
Played under 3 different head coaches: Jeff Tedford, Tim Skipper, and Matt Entz. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Fresno State10-4HC: Jeff Tedford · Balanced
2023Fresno State9-4HC: Jeff Tedford · Pass-leaning
2024Fresno State6-7HC: Tim Skipper · Balanced
2025Fresno State9-4HC: Matt Entz · Run-leaning
2026Fresno State1-1HC: Matt Entz · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
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: 1.0 TKL/g, 0.0 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
Matt Entz
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
35 · #300 of 420 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #300 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Pac-12
Based on 2025: #21 of 35 Mountain West DLs — his program moves to the Pac-12 for 2026
How the All-Pac-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. The base rate was measured on players who stayed in the same conference; this estimate is not adjusted for the move to the Pac-12.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fresno State | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Fresno State | 24 | 11 | 5.5 | 1.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Fresno State | 2 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Fresno State | 7 | 6 | 1.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Fresno State | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 35 | 18 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 49–3
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Fresno State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Fresno State
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +3 net (13 in / 10 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Fresno State · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #88 · 2026 recruiting class #70
DNA match
Player DNA
3-Tech Penetrator
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Marcus Moore’s 2021 season.
Matches Marcus on
Weight
Height
Sack rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Deante McCray's senior season at Florida State (2025).
76%match
All-Conference USA
Matches Deante on
Sack rate
Weight
Height
Background
Xepera's Fresno State journey leads to first-generation graduate milestone 2025 (JUNIOR): Appeared in all 13 games this season … started in five … had 28 tackles … added 6.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, one forced fumble, three quarterback hurries and three pass breakups … had a career-high seven tackles again...
The defensive line · Fresno State
- #6Jahzon Jacks7 tackles for loss · 2025
- #9Merhauti Xepera5.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- Deijon Laffitte4.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #8Martin Owusu2 tackles for loss · 2025
- #54Sione Noa2 tackles for loss · 2025
14 more on the roster · Fresno State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology