Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | L 23-24@ Texas | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#4
Qua Russaw
No.35 5★, national recruit is what Qua Russaw has put on film since landing at Ohio State — the bet is starting to settle.
6′2″ · 244 lb · Montgomery, AL
CFB Index 56 · #234 of 571 LBsMedium confidenceTransferred Alabama → Ohio 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
0
sacks · 2026
1 tackles
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, at Texas
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive end on Ohio State's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 5-star recruit to Alabama in 2023.
- Transferred from Alabama to Ohio State in 2026.
Buzz vs Tape
Every angle we can check here reads about where you'd expect this season.
28.9own fans
16.7rival fans
Also checked out fine:
Qua Russaw
On Trialas of 2026-09-15
Qua Russaw arrives at Ohio State with a new fit to prove and an old chapter behind him.
1TACKLES0SACKS
5★ · NATIONAL RECRUIT
No.35
recruiting national rank
Ohio State fans keep putting his case on trial, week to week.
medium confidence7 sources
Minority viewA vocal minority sees it the other way.
Read the story so far
AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-09-15
His career
4 programs, one constant: he played.
2023
- Signed with Alabama5-star out of Carver Montgomery
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
1 coach2024–2026
Ohio State
Played his entire career under Ryan Day.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Ohio State
2025Alabama
2026Ohio State
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Alabama9-4HC: Kalen DeBoer · Run-leaning
2025Alabama11-4HC: Kalen DeBoer · Balanced
2026Ohio State1-1HC: Ryan Day · Balanced
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 1 game: 1.0 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
Ryan Day
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2024
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
56 · #234 of 571 LBs
Former five-star. Now #234 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Ohio State | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Alabama | 13 | 7 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Alabama | 36 | 14 | 2.5 | 1.0 | -- | 2 | -- |
| Career | 50 | 21 | 3.5 | 2.0 | -- | 2 | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
EDGE
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Dion Hunter’s 2021 season.
Matches Dion on
Sack rate
Solo tackle rate
TFL rate
Differs from Dion on
Weight (higher)
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Derrell Farrar's freshman season at App State (2023).
82%match
All-Conference USA
Matches Derrell on
Tackle volume
Solo tackle rate
Sack rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Qua Russaw
Background
Pronunciation Career Highs 6 Total Tackles vs. Michigan (Dec. 31, 2024) 1.0 Sacks (Two times – last vs. Wisconsin on Sept. 13, 2025) 1.0 Tackles for Loss (Three times – last vs. Wisconsin on Sept. 13, 2025) 1 Interception (Two times – last vs. Missouri on Oct. 26, 2024) Prior to Ohio State Junior...
The defensive line · Ohio State
- #2Kenyatta Jackson11 tackles for loss · 2025
- #3James Smith6.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #96Eddrick Houston4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #55John Walker2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #4Qua Russaw1 tackle for loss · 2025
13 more on the roster · Ohio State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology