Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 73-3vs VMI | 2 | 1 | 1.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 44-21vs Old Dominion | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 2 | 2.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#51
Samuel Okunlola
Senior defensive lineman on Virginia Tech's 2026 roster.
6′3″ · 249 lb · Brockton, MA · Thayer Academy
CFB Index 43 · #259 of 426 edge rushersLow confidenceTransferred Colorado → Virginia Tech 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
2.5 TFL · 3 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1.5 TFL, 2 tackles, vs VMI
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman on Virginia Tech's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Pittsburgh in 2022.
- Transferred from Colorado to Virginia Tech in 2026.
Samuel Okunlola
Holds up snap after snap without a weakness to attack. Samuel Okunlola has played for three head coaches across four seasons and three programs. One game to point at: 2 tackles, 1.5 TFL against VMI — 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
5 programs, one constant: he played.
2022
- Signed with Pittsburgh3-star out of Thayer Academy
202411 games
- Entered the portal
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
3 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023–2025
Virginia Tech
Coaching transition mid-career: Brent Pry → James Franklin. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Virginia Tech
2025Colorado
2026Virginia Tech
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Pittsburgh3-9HC: Pat Narduzzi · Balanced, slow tempo
2024Colorado9-4HC: Deion Sanders · Pass-leaning
2025Colorado3-9HC: Deion Sanders · Run-leaning
2026Virginia Tech2-0HC: James Franklin · Balanced, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Elite: tackles for loss (91st percentile). 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, 1.2 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
James Franklin
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2024
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
43 · #259 of 426 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #259 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Virginia Tech | 3 | 2 | 2.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Colorado | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Colorado | 30 | 19 | 7.0 | 3.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Pittsburgh | 18 | 9 | 6.0 | 5.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 52 | 30 | 15.5 | 8.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 73–3
vs VMI
2 TOT · 1 SOLO · 1 TFL
Dominant 70-point win at home against VMI.
With Q. Brown — 6 rec · 109 yds · 1 TD · E. Grunkemeyer — 224 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · 6 rush yds (2 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
No single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Versatile End
No single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board.
IDL
His 2024 production profile sits closest to BJ Diakite’s 2022 season.
81%match
Matches BJ on
Sack rate
TFL rate
Weight
Differs from BJ on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Kyle King's sophomore season at Ball State (2022).
84%match
Matches Kyle on
Class year
Height
TFL rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Samuel Okunlola
The defensive line · Virginia Tech
- #13Kemari Copeland8 tackles for loss · 2025
- #94Elhadj Fall3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #31Jason Abbey2 tackles for loss · 2025
- #99Emmett Laws1 tackle for loss · 2025
- #51Samuel Okunlola0 tackles for loss · 2025
19 more on the roster · Virginia Tech team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology