Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 20-13vs Liberty | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 6 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 87-3vs Wagner | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 10 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#2
Nakian Jackson
5th-year linebacker for James Madison. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 240 lb · Stockton, CA · Edison
CFB Index 37 · #402 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred Nevada → James Madison 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
10
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Backed by 12 tackles -- top 1% tackles game. -- Best game: 6 tackles, vs Liberty
Swing playSwung Boise State from 62% to 83% to win.Boise State at Nevada · 24-3
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for James Madison. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 2-star recruit to Sacramento State in 2024.
- Transferred from Nevada to James Madison in 2026.
Nakian Jackson
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Two head coaches in two seasons, at two different programs. One game to point at: 6 tackles against Liberty — Week 1, 2026.
10 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Sacramento State2-star out of Damien
202510 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2025–2026
2 coaches2025
Bob Chesney
James Madison
Coaching transition mid-career: Bob Chesney → Billy Napier. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to James Madison
2025Nevada
2026James Madison
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2025Nevada3-9HC: Jeff Choate · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2026James Madison2-0HC: Billy Napier · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Concern: tackles (10th 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: 5.0 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
Billy Napier
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | James Madison | 10 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Nevada | 51 | 22 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| Career | 61 | 27 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 87–3
vs Wagner
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 Chance Bates’s 2022 season.
Matches Chance on
TFL rate
Class year
Hurry rate
Differs from Chance on
PD rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Chance Bates's sophomore season at East Carolina (2022).
Matches Chance on
TFL rate
Solo tackle rate
PD rate
Differs from Chance on
Class year (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Nakian Jackson
Background
2025 at Nevada: Played in 11 games with six starts at linebacker Had 54 tackles (24 solo) to go with one interception (pick-six) Fourth-leading tackler for Wolfpack Career-high 14 tackles vs. Boise State (Oct. 24) Tallied 12 tackles at Utah State (Nov. 8) Made six stops with a 66-yard pick-six vs...
The linebacker corps · James Madison
- #2Nakian Jackson51 tackles · 2025
- #3Gannon Weathersby50 tackles · 2025
- #26Jayden Studio8 tackles · 2025
- #45Lee Johnson2 tackles · 2025
- #12Lathan Croley1 game · 2026
3 more on the roster · James Madison team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology