Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 34-17vs New Mexico State | 4 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Wk 1 | L 24-27vs SMU | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 7 | 4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#28
Mikai Gbayor
Senior linebacker for Florida State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 222 lb · Irvington, NJ · Irvington
CFB Index 30 · #459 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred North Carolina → Florida 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
7
tackles · 2026
1 TFL · 1 sacks
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 4 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sacks, vs New Mexico State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Florida State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Nebraska in 2021.
- Transferred from North Carolina to Florida State in 2026.
- DC reunites with former player (Jul 26) Reported
Mikai Gbayor
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Three head coaches in four seasons, at three different programs. In 2025 the league put his name on paper for the first time: ACC Linebacker Player of the Week. One game to point at: 4 tackles, 1 sacks against New Mexico State — Week 1, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
2021
- Signed with Nebraska3-star out of Irvington
20259 games
- Entered the portal
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
3 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Florida State
Played his entire career under Mike Norvell.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Florida State
2025North Carolina
2026Florida State
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Nebraska5-7HC: Matt Rhule · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2024Nebraska7-6HC: Matt Rhule · Balanced
2025North Carolina4-8HC: Bill Belichick · Balanced, slow tempo
2026Florida State1-1HC: Mike Norvell · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: sacks (87th 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, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.5 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Mike Norvell
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
30 · #459 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #459 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Florida State | 7 | 4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | North Carolina | 36 | 16 | 2.5 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Nebraska | 49 | 20 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 3 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Nebraska | 24 | 11 | 3.0 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 116 | 51 | 12.5 | 3.5 | 3 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 34–17
4 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 SACKS
With A. Daniels — 202 yds · 1 TD · 1 INT · QBR 72.0 · 30 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD · S. Singleton — 42 rush yds (9 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Bryce Boettcher’s 2023 season.
85%match
NFL Rd 4
Matches Bryce on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
PD rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Eteva Mauga-Clements's junior season at Nebraska (2022).
Matches Eteva on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like Mikai Gbayor
Background
BEFORE FSU: Played in 36 career games with 18 starts in four seasons at North Carolina (2025) and Nebraska (2022-24)…recorded 114 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three pass breakups, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries…had 39 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one force...
The linebacker corps · Florida State
- #10Chris Jones132 tackles · 2025
- #20Blake Nichelson43 tackles · 2025
- #9Omar Graham Jr.38 tackles · 2025
- #28Mikai Gbayor36 tackles · 2025
- #41A.J. Cottrill15 tackles · 2025
9 more on the roster · Florida State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology