Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 13-12vs Western Michigan | 12 | 7 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 12 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 17-10vs Oklahoma | 9 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 21 | 11 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#18
Troy Bowles
Senior linebacker for Michigan. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 230 lb · Tampa, FL · Jesuit
CFB Index 26 · #491 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Michigan 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.
How he plays
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait.
Tackles: 94th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
21
tackles · 2026
2 TFL
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 12 tackles, 2 TFL, vs Western Michigan
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Michigan. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Georgia in 2023.
- Transferred from Georgia to Michigan in 2025.
Troy Bowles
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Troy Bowles has played for three head coaches across three seasons and two programs. The receipt: 12 tackles, 2 TFL against Western Michigan — Week 1, 2026.
21 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
20233 games
- Signed with Georgia4-star out of Tampa Jesuit
202512 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Jim Harbaugh, Biff Poggi, and Kyle Whittingham. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Georgia13-1HC: Kirby Smart · Balanced
2025Michigan9-4HC: Biff Poggi · Run-leaning
2026Michigan2-0HC: Kyle Whittingham · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: tackles (94th percentile). Strength: solo tackles (92nd 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: 10.5 TKL/g, 1.0 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
Kyle Whittingham
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.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #65 of 72 Big Ten LBs
How the All-Big Ten 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 2 · 2026
W 17–10
vs Oklahoma
9 TOT · 4 SOLO · 1 REC
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 7 at home.
With C. Brown — 42 AVG · 6 IN 20 · 51 LONG · B. Underwood — 111 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 74.4 · 87 rush yds (18 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Michigan
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Michigan
Returning around him
- 6 Michigan players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -16 net (17 in / 33 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Michigan · Last season: 9-4 (AP #18) · Talent rank #11 · 2026 recruiting class #12
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Jayden McDonald’s 2023 season.
88%match
Matches Jayden on
Solo tackle rate
Sack rate
Class year
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Fa'Najae Gotay's junior season at Maryland (2020).
82%match
Matches Fa'Najae on
Class year
Tackle volume
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like Troy Bowles
Background
CAREER HIGHS Michigan • Tackles: 6 - vs. Purdue (Nov. 1, 2025) • Solos: 3 - vs. Texas (Dec. 31, 2025) • Asst: 4 - vs. Purdue (Nov. 1, 2025) • TFLs: 2.0 - vs. New Mexico (Aug. 30, 2025) • Sacks: 1.0 - vs. New Mexico (Aug. 30, 2025) • Int.: none • FR: none • PBUs: none Georgia • Tackles: 3 - vs. UT...
The linebacker corps · Michigan
- #18Troy Bowles27 tackles · 2025
- #30Max Alford21 tackles · 2025
- #13Aisea Moa12 tackles · 2025
- #29Chase Taylor10 tackles · 2025
- #12Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng4 tackles · 2025
9 more on the roster · Michigan team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology