Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 34-18vs South Dakota State | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#34
Payton Roth
Junior linebacker for Northwestern. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 230 lb · Portland, OR · Jesuit
Returning to Northwestern for 2026
The numbers
2
tackles · 2026
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, vs South Dakota State
His career numbers, season by seasonPayton Roth
Second year in the Northwestern linebacker corps, same address the whole way. The receipt: 2 tackles against South Dakota State — Week 1, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Northwestern
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under David Braun — 8-6 over that span.
2025Northwestern7-6HC: David Braun · Run-leaning
2026Northwestern1-0HC: David Braun · Run-leaning, slow tempo
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
David Braun
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 1 game in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Northwestern | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Northwestern | 8 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 10 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 34–18
2 TOT · 2 SOLO
With A. Chiles — 273 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · 18 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD · J. Himon II — 87 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Northwestern
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Northwestern
Returning around him
- 2 Northwestern players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +9 net (17 in / 8 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Northwestern · Last season: 7-6 · Talent rank #60 · 2026 recruiting class #52
Background
2025 Redshirt Sophomore: Made appearances in all 13 games … Logged eight total tackles and six solo tackles … Registered first career tackle against UCLA (9/27) … Added a solo tackle against Nebraska (10/25) … Posted one stop against Minnesota (11/22) … Set a career high in total tackles (2) agai...
The linebacker corps · Northwestern
- #37Mac Uihlein89 tackles · 2025
- #33Braydon Brus81 tackles · 2025
- #2Kobie McKinzie32 tackles · 2025
- #14Yanni Karlaftis11 tackles · 2025
- #34Payton Roth8 tackles · 2025
12 more on the roster · Northwestern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology