Senior linebacker for Jacksonville State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 215 lb · White Plains, AL · White Plains HS
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.
Tackles: 80th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
tackles · 2026
1 PBU
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 8 tackles, vs Eastern Kentucky
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Jacksonville State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
His career, year by yearWalker O'Steen
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. Walker O'Steen has been at Jacksonville State through two head coaches in three seasons. In 2025 the league put his name on paper for the first time: All-Conference USA. One game to point at: 8 tackles against Eastern Kentucky — Week 1, 2026.
16 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
Career arc
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
ALL-CONFERENCE USA · 2ND TEAM
All-Conference USA 2nd team (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Rich Rodriguez → Charles Kelly. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: tackles (80th percentile). Concern: tackles for loss (20th percentile).
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 · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 8.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 5.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Charles Kelly
Pass share
43.2%
79 pass / 104 run
Plays / game
61.0
3 games
Team sack rate
4.5%
88 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning, slow tempo.
Player standing · 2026
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Recognition
2026 outlook
In the mix to repeat All-Conference USA
Based on 2025: #2 of 45 Conference USA LBs
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.
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Jacksonville State | 16 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Jacksonville State | 78 | 48 | 6.0 | 2.5 | 1 | 3 | -- |
| 2024 | Jacksonville State | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 100 | 56 | 6.0 | 2.5 | 2 | 3 | -- |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 49–7
8 TOT · 1 SOLO
Dominant 42-point win at home against Eastern Kentucky.
With C. Creel — 327 yds · 5 TD · 1 INT · 54 rush yds (10 car) · J. Williams — -4 rush yds (1 car)
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 7-33@ North Dakota State | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 8 tackles |
| Wk 1 | W 49-7vs Eastern Kentucky | 8 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 8 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 27-29@ Ohio | 5 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Total | 16 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Jacksonville State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Jacksonville State
Returning around him
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Jacksonville State · Last season: 9-5 · Talent rank #93 · 2026 recruiting class #86
Player DNA
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Jimmy Herman’s 2016 season.
Matches Jimmy on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Dominic Tatum's junior season at Utah State (2021).
Matches Dominic on
Player DNA
-2025 Second-Team All-Conference USA 2025: Played in all 14 games with eight starts...Second on the team in tackles with 84...Added seven for loss, six QB hurries, three interceptions, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and fumble recovery...Racked up eight tackles at Georgia Southern (9/13)...Made six...
13 more on the roster · Jacksonville State team page