Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 38-16vs Akron | 6 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 6 tackles |
| Total | 6 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#40
Whittman Whaley
Redshirt sophomore linebacker for Wake Forest. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 222 lb · Sevierville, TN · Gatlinburg-Pittman
Returning to Wake Forest for 2026
The numbers
6
tackles · 2026
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 6 tackles, vs Akron
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for Wake Forest. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Wake Forest in 2024.
Whittman Whaley
Second year in the Wake Forest linebacker corps, same address the whole way. The receipt: 6 tackles against Akron — Week 1, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Wake Forest3-star out of Gatlinburg Pittman
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Wake Forest
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Jake Dickert — 11-4 over that span.
2025Wake Forest9-4HC: Jake Dickert · Balanced
2026Wake Forest2-0HC: Jake Dickert · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
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 1 game: 6.0 TKL/g, 0.0 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
Jake Dickert
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 | Wake Forest | 6 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Wake Forest | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 8 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Wake Forest
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Wake Forest
Returning around him
- 2 Wake Forest players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +1 net (24 in / 23 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Wake Forest · Last season: 9-4 · Talent rank #63 · 2026 recruiting class #39
Background
2025 (Redshirt Freshman) Appeared in eight games for the Demon Deacons… Made two tackles and recovered a fumble… Played 70 total snaps. 2024 (Freshman) Did not see any action during the 2024 season for the Demon Deacons. High School Rated as the No. 29 linebacker in the country according to ESPN....
The linebacker corps · Wake Forest
- #21Aiden Hall73 tackles · 2025
- #43Frank Cusano45 tackles · 2025
- #12Tylan McNichols39 tackles · 2025
- #7Buom Jock2 tackles · 2025
- #40Whittman Whaley2 tackles · 2025
5 more on the roster · Wake Forest team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology