Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 45-13vs Youngstown State | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 17-45vs Alabama | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Total | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#2
Sam Greene
Senior linebacker for Kentucky. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 251 lb · Washington, DC
CFB Index 34 · #432 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Kentucky 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
4
tackles · 2026
1 PBU
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, vs Alabama
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Kentucky. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to USC in 2023.
- Transferred from USC to Kentucky in 2025.
Sam Greene
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Three head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. One game to point at: 2 tackles against Alabama — Week 2, 2026.
4 TACKLES · 0 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.
2023
- Signed with USC3-star out of St. Frances Academy
20259 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023–2025
Kentucky
2026era →
Will Stein
Kentucky
Coaching transition mid-career: Mark Stoops → Will Stein. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023USC8-5HC: Lincoln Riley · Pass-leaning, slow tempo
2024USC7-6HC: Lincoln Riley · Pass-leaning
2025Kentucky5-7HC: Mark Stoops · Run-leaning
2026Kentucky1-1HC: Will Stein · Balanced, slow tempo
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: 2.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.5 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Will Stein
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
34 · #432 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #432 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #61 of 76 SEC LBs
How the All-SEC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 45–13
2 TOT
Dominant 32-point win at home against Youngstown State.
With K. Minchey — 301 yds · 4 TD · 0 INT · 17 rush yds (1 car) · T. O'Hara — 42 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 45 LONG
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Kentucky
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Kentucky
Returning around him
- 4 Kentucky players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +4 net (31 in / 27 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Kentucky · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #23 · 2026 recruiting class #60
DNA match
Player DNA
Thumper
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to David Afogho’s 2025 season.
Matches David on
Tackle volume
PD rate
Solo tackle rate
Differs from David on
Height (lower)
Sack rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Ace Kaufusi's junior season at BYU (2025).
Matches Ace on
Weight
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Differs from Ace on
Height (lower)
Sack rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Sam Greene
The linebacker corps · Kentucky
- #22Grant Godfrey34 tackles · 2025
- #2Sam Greene25 tackles · 2025
- #15Cedric Works16 tackles · 2025
- #8Lorenzo Cowan13 tackles · 2025
- #4Antwan Smith6 tackles · 2025
7 more on the roster · Kentucky team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology