Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 19-9vs Florida International | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 28-24@ Army | 5 | 3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 6 | 3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#25
Zavier Hamilton
Sophomore linebacker for South Florida. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 230 lb · Gulf Breeze, FL · Fort Walton Beach
CFB Index 21 · #523 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to South Florida 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
1 TFL · 1 sacks
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sacks, at Army
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for South Florida. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to South Florida in 2024.
Zavier Hamilton
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Zavier Hamilton has been at South Florida through three head coaches in three seasons. The receipt on tape: 5 tackles, 1 sacks against Army, Week 2, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with South Florida3-star out of Fort Walton Beach
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
South Florida
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Alex Golesh, Kevin Patrick, and Brian Hartline. Multi-era developmental context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024South Florida7-6HC: Alex Golesh · Balanced
2025South Florida9-4HC: Kevin Patrick · Run-leaning
2026South Florida2-0HC: Brian Hartline · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: sacks (87th 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: 3.0 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
Brian Hartline
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
21 · #523 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #523 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-AAC
Based on 2025: #56 of 61 American Athletic LBs
How the All-AAC 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 | South Florida | 6 | 3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | South Florida | 37 | 14 | 3.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | South Florida | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 44 | 18 | 4.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 28–24
at Army
5 TOT · 3 SOLO · 1 SACKS
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 4 on the road.
With M. Van Buren Jr. — 239 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 82.3 · 45 rush yds (5 car) · 2 TD · L. Goater — 42 AVG · 3 IN 20 · 48 LONG
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
South Florida
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · South Florida
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +10 net (44 in / 34 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
South Florida · Last season: 9-4 (AP #25) · Talent rank #52 · 2026 recruiting class #90
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Isaiah Jones’s 2024 season.
Matches Isaiah on
Solo tackle rate
Tackle volume
Class year
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Brock Uihlein's sophomore season at Miami (OH) (2025).
83%match
Matches Brock on
Weight
TFL rate
Solo tackle rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Zavier Hamilton
Background
2025: Saw action in 12 games...ranked eighth on the team with 37 tackles and added three tackles for loss...posted a season-best six stops vs. UTSA (11/6)...had five tackles in a win at No. 13 Florida (9/6)...made three tackles and had a tackle for loss at No. 5 Miami (9/13)...had five stops vs....
The linebacker corps · South Florida
- #25Zavier Hamilton37 tackles · 2025
- #10Shamar Meikle28 tackles · 2025
- #6Rodney Hill18 tackles · 2025
- #45Marshon Oxley15 tackles · 2025
- #7Sam Robinson12 tackles · 2025
11 more on the roster · South Florida team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology