Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 40-0vs Northern Illinois | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#31
Nolan DeLong
Senior linebacker for Iowa. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 231 lb · Durant, IA · Durant
Returning to Iowa for 2026
The numbers
2
tackles · 2026
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, vs Northern Illinois
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Iowa. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Iowa in 2023.
- 2 tackles in 2025. Then 2 in 2026.
Nolan DeLong
He has spent two seasons in the Iowa linebacker corps. The receipt: 2 tackles against Northern Illinois — Week 1, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Iowa3-star out of Durant
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Iowa
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Kirk Ferentz — 11-4 over that span.
2025Iowa9-4HC: Kirk Ferentz · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2026Iowa2-0HC: Kirk Ferentz · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
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 1 game: 2.0 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
Kirk Ferentz
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
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Iowa
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Iowa
Returning around him
- 7 Iowa players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +7 net (15 in / 8 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Iowa · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #44 · 2026 recruiting class #26
The linebacker corps · Iowa
- #36Jayden Montgomery44 tackles · 2025
- #46Preston Ries7 tackles · 2025
- #33Cam Buffington7 tackles · 2025
- #23Landyn Van Kekerix5 tackles · 2025
- #31Nolan DeLong2 tackles · 2025
8 more on the roster · Iowa team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology