Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 21-49@ Nebraska | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 29-27vs Jacksonville State | 13 | 8 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 13 tackles |
| Total | 17 | 10 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#25
Michael Molnar
Senior linebacker for Ohio. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 227 lb · Mason, OH · Mason
CFB Index 55 · #245 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Ohio 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.
How he plays
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
Solo tackles: 87th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
17
tackles · 2026
2 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 13 tackles, 2 TFL, vs Jacksonville State
His career numbers, season by seasonMichael Molnar
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Michael Molnar has played for three head coaches in four seasons at Ohio. 2025 brought the first one: MAC Defensive Player of the Week. The receipt: 13 tackles, 2 TFL against Jacksonville State — Week 2, 2026.
17 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Ohio
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Tim Albin, Brian Smith, and John Hauser. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Ohio10-3HC: Tim Albin · Run-leaning
2024Ohio11-3HC: Tim Albin · Run-heavy
2025Ohio9-4HC: Brian Smith · Run-heavy
2026Ohio1-1HC: John Hauser · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: solo tackles (87th percentile). Strength: tackles for loss (85th 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: 8.5 TKL/g, 1.0 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
John Hauser
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-MAC
Based on 2025: #24 of 55 Mid-American LBs
How the All-MAC 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 29–27
13 TOT · 8 SOLO · 2 TFL
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 2 at home.
With D. James-Hamilton — 1 SOLO · 1 TD · 3 TOT · M. Vezza — 80 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 53.9 · 67 rush yds (12 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Ohio
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Ohio
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +3 net (19 in / 16 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Ohio · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #129 · 2026 recruiting class #107
DNA match
Player DNA
Sideline-to-Sideline
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
LB
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Chandler Wooten’s 2019 season.
Matches Chandler on
Weight
Solo tackle rate
Class year
Differs from Chandler on
Hurry rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Cody Lindenberg's senior season at Minnesota (2023).
80%match
All-Big TenNFL Rd 7
Matches Cody on
Class year
Solo tackle rate
TFL rate
Differs from Cody on
Tackle volume (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Michael Molnar
Background
2025: Appeared in eight games, making eight starts…tallied 73 total tackles, including 5.5 for a loss, 25 solo stops, and 1.5 sacks…Tallied first career sack against West Virginia (Sept. 6)...Named MAC Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 8). 2024: Appeared in two games. 2023: Played in 13 games…...
The linebacker corps · Ohio
- #30Charlie Christopher63 tackles · 2025
- #25Michael Molnar62 tackles · 2025
- #27Jack Fries54 tackles · 2025
- #24Cameron Hollobaugh45 tackles · 2025
- Makel Williams12 tackles · 2025
11 more on the roster · Ohio team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology