Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 59-7vs Texas State | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 |
#11
Samari Matthews
Freshman defensive back on Texas's 2026 roster.
6′1″ · 197 lb · Charlotte, NC · Hough
Returning to Texas for 2026
Recruiting
4★
CB recruit
No. 139 nationally · Signed with Texas
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 defensive back on Texas's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Texas in 2026.
Buzz vs Tape
Every angle we can check here reads about where you'd expect this season.
27.7own fans
38.8national conversation
Samari Matthews
One game to point at: 2 tackles, 0.5 sacks against Texas State — Week 1, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0.5 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- game log
His career
2026
- Signed with Texas4-star out of Hough
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Texas
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026Texas2-0HC: Steve Sarkisian · 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, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.5 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Steve Sarkisian
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
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Texas | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Texas
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive back · Texas
Returning around him
- 6 Texas players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -6 net (22 in / 28 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Texas · Last season: 10-3 (AP #14) · Talent rank #2 · 2026 recruiting class #7
Background
A first-year defensive back from Charlotte, North Carolina ... early enrolled in spring 2026. HIGH SCHOOL Tabbed a four-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals … rated No. 11 cornerback recruit in his class by 247Sports … rated No. 13 cornerback recruit in his class by ESPN … rated the No. 17...
The secondary · Texas
- #4Jelani McDonald80 tackles · 2025
- #5Bo Mascoe48 tackles · 2025
- #29Graceson Littleton46 tackles · 2025
- #2Derek Williams Jr.23 tackles · 2025
- #11Samari Matthews1 game · 2026
16 more on the roster · Texas team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology