Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 21-17vs UAlbany | 6 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 20-33@ Florida International | 10 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 2 | Season-high 10 tackles |
| Total | 16 | 12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2 |
#1
Saveon Brown
Senior linebacker for Buffalo. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 210 lb · Phoenix, IL · Thornwood
CFB Index 58 · #217 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceIn transfer portal — destination TBD (from Buffalo)
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.
How he plays
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage.
Solo tackles: 94th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
16
tackles · 2026
1 TFL · 2 PBU
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 6 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT, vs UAlbany
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Buffalo. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Western Michigan in 2022.
Saveon Brown
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. Across four seasons and two programs, three head coaches: Lance Taylor, Maurice Linguist and Pete Lembo. One game to point at: 10 tackles against Florida International — Week 2, 2026.
16 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 Western Michigan3-star out of Thornwood
20244 games
- Entered the portal
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023–2024
Buffalo
Coaching transition mid-career: Maurice Linguist → Pete Lembo. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
In Portal · 2026
In transfer portal
2025Buffalo
DestinationTBD
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Western Michigan4-8HC: Lance Taylor · Run-leaning
2024Buffalo9-4HC: Maurice Linguist · Run-heavy
2025Buffalo5-7HC: Pete Lembo · Balanced
2026Buffalo1-1HC: Pete Lembo · Pass-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: solo tackles (94th percentile). Strength: passes defended (94th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
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: 8.0 TKL/g, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 1.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Pete Lembo
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Buffalo | 16 | 12 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Buffalo | 52 | 20 | 6.5 | 2.0 | 4 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Buffalo | 16 | 10 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Western Michigan | 16 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| Career | 100 | 51 | 8.5 | 2.0 | 10 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 21–17
vs UAlbany
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Coverage 'Backer
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
LB
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Brandon Tillmon’s 2018 season.
63%match
Matches Brandon on
Tackle volume
Differs from Brandon on
Sack rate (lower)
Solo tackle rate (higher)
PD rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Emany Johnson's senior season at Nevada (2022).
86%match
All-Mountain West
Matches Emany on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Solo tackle rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Saveon Brown
Background
Hoof Prints: Transfer from Western Michigan... rebounded from a season-ending injury in 2024 to have a strong 2025 campaign... major is psychology. Redshirt-Junior (2025): Appeared in 12 games and made eight starts at nickel... had 52 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and four pass breakup...
The linebacker corps · Buffalo
- #1Saveon Brown52 tackles · 2025
- #13Joey Cheshireno box-score line yet
- #33Jordan Owens1 game · 2026
- #19Mathew Hilty1 game · 2026
- #2Stevie Bracey2 games · 2026
10 more on the roster · Buffalo team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology