Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 16-17@ Auburn | 9 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 44-3vs Prairie View A&M | 4 | 2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 13 | 9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#5
Travion Barnes
Senior linebacker for Baylor. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 247 lb · Altamonte Springs, FL · Apopka HS
CFB Index 88 · #20 of 571 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Baylor 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
13
tackles · 2026
0.5 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 9 tackles, vs Auburn
Statement game16 tackles · 3 TFL · 2 sacksat Liberty (FBS) · L 24-31
Top 0.1% tackles game since 2021.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Baylor. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Apopka in 2022.
- Transferred from Florida International to Baylor in 2025.
- Named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.
Travion Barnes
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Two head coaches in three seasons, at two different programs. In 2024 the league put his name on paper for the first time: Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year. One game to point at: 9 tackles against Auburn — Week 1, 2026.
13 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
He was winning awards before he was old enough to be a story.
2022
- Recruited3-star out of Apopka
202411 games
- Signed with Florida International3-star out of Georgia Military College
- Conference USA Defensive Player of the Yearwinner
- All-Conference USAfirst
20253 games
The snaps went the other way.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🥈
ALL-CONFERENCE USA · 1ST TEAM
All-Conference USA 1st team (2024)
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Baylor
Played his entire career under Dave Aranda.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Florida International4-8HC: Mike MacIntyre · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Baylor5-7HC: Dave Aranda · Pass-leaning, fast tempo
2026Baylor1-1HC: Dave Aranda · Balanced, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: solo tackles (80th 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: 6.5 TKL/g, 0.2 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
Dave Aranda
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 | Baylor | 13 | 9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Baylor | 11 | 10 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Florida International | 129 | 59 | 10.5 | 3.0 | -- | 2 | -- |
| Career | 153 | 78 | 12.0 | 4.0 | -- | 2 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 44–3
4 TOT · 2 SOLO · 0 TFL
Dominant 41-point win at home against Prairie View A&M.
With N. Bennett — 301 yds · 2 TD · 2 INT · QBR 29.6 · 13 rush yds (2 car) · 1 TD · C. Knighten — 66 rush yds (12 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Baylor
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Baylor
Returning around him
- 2 Baylor players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -1 net (31 in / 32 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Baylor · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #43 · 2026 recruiting class #57
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Bryce Houston’s 2023 season.
89%match
All-MAC
Matches Bryce on
Tackle volume
Sack rate
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Jackson Mitchell's freshman season at UConn (2021).
62%match
Matches Jackson on
TFL rate
Height
Hurry rate
Differs from Jackson on
Tackle volume (higher)
Solo tackle rate (higher)
Background
• Preseason Second-Team All-Texas (DCTF) • Preseason Third-Team All-Big 12 (Phil Steele) • Preseason Fourth-Team All-Big 12 (Athlon) 2025 (Senior): Played in the first four games of the year before suffering a season-ending injury vs. Arizona State … Totaled 11 tackles, including a sack … Had two...
The linebacker corps · Baylor
- #36Kedrick Walker57 tackles · 2025
- #10Kyland Reed50 tackles · 2025
- #31Anthony Crenshaw17 tackles · 2025
- #41Kaleb Burns17 tackles · 2025
- #5Travion Barnes11 tackles · 2025
7 more on the roster · Baylor team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology