Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 24-45vs UCLA | 3 | 3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 21-18@ Syracuse | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 6 | 5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#98
Nathan Burrell
Senior defensive lineman for California. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 285 lb · Los Angeles, CA
CFB Index 49 · #218 of 426 edge rushersLow confidenceReturning to California 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
sack · 2026
1 TFL · 6 tackles · 2 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1 TFL, 3 tackles, vs UCLA
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman for California. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to California in 2022.
Nathan Burrell
Wins his gap play after play. Four seasons at California, two different head coaches: Justin Wilcox and Tosh Lupoi. The receipt on tape: 3 tackles against Syracuse, Week 2, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
202212 games
- Signed with California3-star out of St. John Bosco
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
California
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
2 coaches2022–2024
California
2026era →
Tosh Lupoi
California
Coaching transition mid-career: Justin Wilcox → Tosh Lupoi. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022California4-8HC: Justin Wilcox · Pass-leaning
2023California6-7HC: Justin Wilcox · Run-leaning
2024California6-7HC: Justin Wilcox · Balanced
2026California1-1HC: Tosh Lupoi · Pass-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Elite: qb hurries (96th percentile). Strength: 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: 3.0 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
Tosh Lupoi
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2024
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
49 · #218 of 426 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #218 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | California | 6 | 5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | California | 29 | 5 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | California | 23 | 9 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2022 | California | 28 | 15 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 86 | 34 | 8.5 | 5.5 | 2 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 21–18
at Syracuse
3 TOT · 2 SOLO · 2 QB HUR
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 3 on the road.
With A. Davies — 34 AVG · 3 IN 20 · 52 LONG · J. Sagapolutele — 182 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 54.4 · -5 rush yds (2 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
California
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · California
Returning around him
- 1 California player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -4 net (32 in / 36 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
California · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #33 · 2026 recruiting class #56
DNA match
Player DNA
Two-Gap Base
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
IDL
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Dion Washington’s 2022 season.
91%match
Matches Dion on
TFL rate
Height
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Tyler Williams's junior season at Wake Forest (2022).
91%match
Matches Tyler on
Class year
Height
TFL rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Nathan Burrell
The defensive line · California
- #55BJ Canady1 tackle for loss · 2025
- #96Derek Wilkins0 tackles for loss · 2025
- #94Stanley McKenzie0 tackles for loss · 2025
- #51Jayden Williams0 tackles for loss · 2025
- #98Nathan Burrell2 games · 2026
10 more on the roster · California team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology