Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 37-27vs Hawai'i | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Wk 1 | L 6-45vs Miami | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 6 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#38
Zach Johnson
Junior linebacker for Stanford. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 230 lb · Coeur d'Alene, ID · Lake City High School
CFB Index 40 · #376 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Stanford 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
6
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 4 tackles, vs Miami
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Stanford. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 2-star recruit to North Dakota State in 2015.
Zach Johnson
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Two seasons at Stanford, two different head coaches: Frank Reich and Tavita Pritchard. One game to point at: 4 tackles against Miami — Week 1, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2015
- Signed with North Dakota State2-star out of Spring Lake Park
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★
CFB
College
Stanford
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2025–2026
2 coaches2025
Frank Reich
Stanford
2026era →
Tavita Pritchard
Stanford
Coaching transition mid-career: Frank Reich → Tavita Pritchard. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2025Stanford4-8HC: Frank Reich · Balanced
2026Stanford1-1HC: Tavita Pritchard · Pass-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
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: 3.0 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
Tavita Pritchard
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
40 · #376 of 583 LBs
Two-star recruit. Now #376 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #51 of 74 ACC LBs
How the All-ACC 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 1 · 2026
W 37–27
vs Hawai'i
2 TOT · 1 SOLO
With D. Warren — 310 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 79.7 · 16 rush yds (5 car) · A. Flintoft — 43 AVG · 2 IN 20 · 49 LONG
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Stanford
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Stanford
Returning around him
- 2 Stanford players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -6 net (6 in / 12 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Stanford · Last season: 4-8 · Talent rank #50 · 2026 recruiting class #37
DNA match
Player DNA
Sideline-to-Sideline
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Kobie McKinzie’s 2024 season.
Matches Kobie on
Class year
Sack rate
Weight
Differs from Kobie on
Solo tackle rate (higher)
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Kobie McKinzie's sophomore season at Oklahoma (2024).
Matches Kobie on
Weight
Sack rate
Solo tackle rate
Differs from Kobie on
Class year (lower)
The linebacker corps · Stanford
- #35Matt Rose106 tackles · 2025
- Jahsiah Galvan50 tackles · 2025
- #11Tevarua Tafiti32 tackles · 2025
- #38Zach Johnson28 tackles · 2025
- #44Ernest Cooper23 tackles · 2025
16 more on the roster · Stanford team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology