Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 62-13vs UL Monroe | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 38-13@ Minnesota | 7 | 4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 7 tackles |
| Total | 11 | 5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#11
Tyler Lockhart
Sophomore linebacker for Mississippi State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 225 lb · Kilmichael, MS · Winona HS
CFB Index 17 · #542 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Mississippi State 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
11
tackles · 2026
1 TFL · 1 sacks
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 7 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sacks, at Minnesota
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for Mississippi State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Mississippi State in 2025.
Tyler Lockhart
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. He has spent two seasons in the Mississippi State linebacker corps. The receipt: 7 tackles, 1 sacks against Minnesota — Week 2, 2026.
11 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
202510 games
- Signed with Mississippi State4-star out of Winona
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Mississippi State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Jeff Lebby, all run-leaning offenses — 7-8 over that span.
2025Mississippi State5-8HC: Jeff Lebby · Run-leaning
2026Mississippi State2-0HC: Jeff Lebby · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: sacks (87th percentile). Concern: tackles (27th 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: 5.5 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
Jeff Lebby
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
17 · #542 of 583 LBs
Former four-star. Now #542 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #71 of 76 SEC LBs
How the All-SEC 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
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Mississippi State | 11 | 5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Mississippi State | 34 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 45 | 14 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 38–13
at Minnesota
7 TOT · 4 SOLO · 1 SACKS
Dominant 25-point win on the road against Minnesota.
With K. Taylor — 227 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 88.8 · 86 rush yds (13 car) · A. Evans III — 6 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Mississippi State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Mississippi State
Returning around him
- 2 Mississippi State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -12 net (28 in / 40 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Mississippi State · Last season: 5-8 · Talent rank #20 · 2026 recruiting class #23
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Aric Horne’s 2021 season.
Matches Aric on
TFL rate
Solo tackle rate
Tackle volume
Differs from Aric on
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Caleb Dozier's freshman season at South Alabama (2025).
Matches Caleb on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Weight
Background
Career Honors 2025 Freshman All-SEC Team, LB (Coaches') Career Notes Played in 12 career games with one start … Following the 2025 season, had 34 tackles. 2025 (True Freshman Season) Played in all 12 games with one start … Freshman All-SEC Team by the leagues coaches … Totalled 34 tackles with tw...
The linebacker corps · Mississippi State
- #10Jalen Smith57 tackles · 2025
- #7Zakari Tillman47 tackles · 2025
- #16Derion Gullette38 tackles · 2025
- #11Tyler Lockhart34 tackles · 2025
- #45James Heard Jr.12 tackles · 2025
6 more on the roster · Mississippi State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology