Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 52-16vs North Texas | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 55-0vs Howard | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#95
Tyrique Tucker
Redshirt senior defensive lineman for Indiana. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 307 lb · Norfolk, VA · Life Christian Academy
CFB Index 89 · #18 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceNational watchReturning to Indiana 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.
On production he ranks #18 of 420 edge rushers; on reputation he is on a national watch list. The gap between those two numbers is the story.
The numbers
1
sack · 2026
1 TFL · 2 tackles · 1 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1 TFL, 1 tackles, vs North Texas
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman for Indiana. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed with James Madison in 2022.
- Transferred from James Madison to Indiana in 2024.
- Named Preseason All-America in 2026.
In Their Words
71 windows · 2026 fan posts
tyrique×643.4indiana×78.5carter×43.9smith×21.4
Tyrique Tucker
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. Tyrique Tucker has played for two head coaches across four seasons and two programs. Two straight seasons of it now: Preseason All-America (Associated Press) again in 2026. The receipt on tape: 1 tackles against Howard, Week 2, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
2022
- Signed with James Madisonout of Life Christian Academy
202410 games
- Entered the portal
202515 games
- All-Big Tenfirst
2026
- Preseason All-AmericaSecond Team
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🥇
ALL-AMERICA
All-America honors (2026)
1 mentions across the selector pool
🥈
ALL-BIG TEN · 1ST TEAM
All-Big Ten 1st team (2025)
Badges
- Honors Badge
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coaches2023
Indiana
Coaching transition mid-career: Tom Allen → Curt Cignetti. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023James Madison11-2HC: Damian Wroblewski · Balanced
2024Indiana11-2HC: Curt Cignetti · Run-leaning
2025Indiana16-0HC: Curt Cignetti · Run-heavy
2026Indiana2-0HC: Curt Cignetti · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidenceBreakout
Elite: sacks (87th percentile). Strength: qb hurries (83rd 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: 1.0 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
Curt Cignetti
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
National watch / fringe AA
In the All-America conversation, short of a selector's first team.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
In the mix to repeat All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #3 of 69 Big Ten DLs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
49% estimated, 95% confidence interval 43–54%. 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.
Selector Grid · 2026
AP—
FWAA—
AFCA—
WCFF—
SN—
SI—
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Indiana | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Indiana | 38 | 17 | 11.5 | 6.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Indiana | 24 | 9 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | James Madison | 30 | 7 | 4.5 | 1.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 94 | 34 | 21.5 | 11.0 | 3 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 55–0
vs Howard
1 TOT · 1 QB HUR
Dominant 55-point win at home against Howard.
With J. Hoover — 145 yds · 4 TD · 0 INT · QBR 75.5 · 18 rush yds (6 car) · T. Richard — 108 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Indiana
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Indiana
Returning around him
- 8 Indiana players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +0 net (17 in / 17 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Indiana · Last season: 16-0 (AP #1) · Talent rank #38 · 2026 recruiting class #29
DNA match
Player DNA
3-Tech Penetrator
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jonah Tavai’s 2021 season.
81%match
Matches Jonah on
Sack rate
Height
Hurry rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jared Dawson's junior season at Louisville (2023).
71%match
Matches Jared on
TFL rate
Weight
Height
Differs from Jared on
Class year (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Tyrique Tucker
Background
Pronunciation: Tie-reek Tucker Career Notes & Records Appeared in 42 career games with 21 starts ... Played 13 games with five starts over two seasons at James Madison (2022-23) ... Redshirted initial collegiate season ... First collegiate start came at Virginia (9/9) in 2023 at James Madison. 20...
The defensive line · Indiana
- #8Stephen Daley19 tackles for loss · 2025
- #95Tyrique Tucker11.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #97Mario Landino6.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #8Joshua Burnham6 tackles for loss · 2025
- #12Tobi Osunsanmi6 tackles for loss · 2025
14 more on the roster · Indiana team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology