Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 10-24@ Washington | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 7-34@ Kansas State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#8
Nylan Brown
Junior linebacker for Washington State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 246 lb · Indianapolis, IN · Ben Davis HS
CFB Index 24 · #505 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred Kent State → Washington 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
3
tackles · 2026
1 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, 1 TFL, at Washington
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Washington State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kent State in 2024.
- Transferred from Kent State to Washington State in 2026.
Nylan Brown
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Across three seasons and two programs, three head coaches: Kenni Burns, Mark Carney and Kirby Moore. The receipt on tape: 2 tackles, 1 TFL against Washington, Week 1, 2026.
3 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
20247 games
- Signed with Kent State3-star out of Ben Davis
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
3 coaches2024
Pete Kaligis
Washington State
2025era →
Jimmy Rogers
Washington State
2026era →
Kirby Moore
Washington State
Played under 3 different head coaches: Pete Kaligis, Jimmy Rogers, and Kirby Moore. Multi-era developmental context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Washington State
2025Kent State
2026Washington State
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Kent State0-12HC: Kenni Burns · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Kent State5-7HC: Mark Carney · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2026Washington State0-2HC: Kirby Moore · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
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: 1.5 TKL/g, 0.5 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
Kirby Moore
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
24 · #505 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #505 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Washington State | 3 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Kent State | 37 | 20 | 2.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Kent State | 20 | 9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 60 | 32 | 4.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
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 Jake Chaney’s 2022 season.
Matches Jake on
TFL rate
Hurry rate
Weight
Differs from Jake on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Jordan Jones's sophomore season at Georgia State (2022).
79%match
Matches Jordan on
Weight
TFL rate
Solo tackle rate
Differs from Jordan on
Hurry rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Nylan Brown
Background
WASHINGTON STATE JUNIOR (2026): Enrolled at WSU in January 2026 and will participate in spring practices. KENT STATE SOPHOMORE (2025): Appeared in 11 games, totaling 38 total tackles (21 unassisted, 17 assisted), with 2.5 tackles-for-loss and three QB hurries…posted a season-high seven tackles at...
The linebacker corps · Washington State
- #44Parker McKenna83 tackles · 2025
- #9Caleb Francl82 tackles · 2025
- #8Nylan Brown37 tackles · 2025
- #40Gavin Barthiel12 tackles · 2025
- #42Jack Ellison11 tackles · 2025
8 more on the roster · Washington State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology