Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 16-17@ Auburn | 3 | 2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 44-3vs Prairie View A&M | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 7 | 4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |
#24
Micah Gifford
Senior safety for Baylor. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 205 lb · Pflugerville, TX · Weiss HS
CFB Index 37 · #392 of 544 safetiesMedium confidenceReturning to Baylor 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
interception · 2026
7 tackles · 0.5 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 INT, 3 tackles, vs Auburn
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 safety for Baylor. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Baylor in 2023.
- 1 interception in 2025. Then 1 in 2026.
Micah Gifford
Moves between deep coverage and the slot. Fourth year in the Baylor secondary, same address the whole way. One game to point at: 4 tackles against Prairie View A&M — 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
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2023
- Signed with Baylor3-star out of Pflugerville Weiss
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Baylor
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Baylor
Played his entire career under Dave Aranda.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Dave Aranda — 17-22 over that span.
2023Baylor3-9HC: Dave Aranda · Balanced
2024Baylor8-5HC: Dave Aranda · Run-leaning
2025Baylor5-7HC: Dave Aranda · Pass-leaning, fast tempo
2026Baylor1-1HC: Dave Aranda · Balanced, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidenceBreakout
Concern: tackles (0th 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: 3.5 TKL/g, 0.2 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
Dave Aranda
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
37 · #392 of 544 safeties
Three-star recruit. Now #392 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big 12
Based on 2025: #33 of 40 Big 12 Ss
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 44–3
4 TOT · 2 SOLO
Dominant 41-point win at home against Prairie View A&M.
With N. Bennett — 301 yds · 2 TD · 2 INT · QBR 29.6 · 13 rush yds (2 car) · 1 TD · C. Knighten — 66 rush yds (12 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Baylor
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Safety · Baylor
Returning around him
- 2 Baylor players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -1 net (31 in / 32 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Baylor · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #43 · 2026 recruiting class #57
DNA match
Player DNA
Hybrid Nickel
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jordan Bass’s 2025 season.
Matches Jordan on
Class year
Height
Tackle volume
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jordan Bass's junior season at Virginia Tech (2025).
Matches Jordan on
Class year
Height
TFL rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Micah Gifford
Background
2025 (Junior): In debut full season at safety, continued to be a special teams force, while earning meaningful snaps in the secondary … Played in all 12 games … Finished with 22 tackles, one sack, one interception and one blocked kick … Had a tackle vs. Auburn … Made two tackles with a sack and a...
The secondary · Baylor
- #3Devyn Bobby77 tackles · 2025
- #8Jacob Redding53 tackles · 2025
- #14Daniel Cobbs39 tackles · 2025
- #17Tyler Turner30 tackles · 2025
- #24Micah Gifford22 tackles · 2025
26 more on the roster · Baylor team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology