Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 38-14vs Murray State | 3 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 26-28@ Marshall | 8 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 8 tackles |
| Total | 11 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#95
Zeion Simpson-Smith
Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle on Middle Tennessee's 2026 roster.
6′2″ · 277 lb · Nashville, TN · Pearl Cohn
CFB Index 72 · #65 of 330 interior linemenLow confidenceReturning to Middle Tennessee 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
0
sacks · 2026
1 TFL · 11 tackles · 1 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 TFL, 3 tackles, vs Murray State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 defensive tackle on Middle Tennessee's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Middle Tennessee in 2024.
Zeion Simpson-Smith
Wins his gap play after play. He has spent two seasons in the Middle Tennessee defensive front. The receipt on tape: 8 tackles against Marshall, Week 2, 2026.
11 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Middle Tennessee3-star out of Pearl-Cohn
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Middle Tennessee
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Derek Mason — 4-10 over that span.
2025Middle Tennessee3-9HC: Derek Mason · Pass-leaning
2026Middle Tennessee1-1HC: Derek Mason · Pass-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low confidence
Elite: qb hurries (83rd percentile). Concern: solo tackles (7th 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: 5.5 TKL/g, 0.5 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
Derek Mason
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-Conference USA
Based on 2025: #6 of 11 Conference USA DTs
How the All-Conference USA estimate is computed
35% estimated, 95% confidence interval 31–38%. 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 | Middle Tennessee | 11 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Middle Tennessee | 19 | 12 | 3.0 | 3.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 30 | 15 | 4.0 | 3.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 38–14
vs Murray State
3 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 TFL
Dominant 24-point win at home against Murray State.
With R. Gagliano — 200 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · 25 rush yds (2 car) · 1 TD · C. Lacy — 8 rec · 118 yds · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Middle Tennessee
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive tackle · Middle Tennessee
Returning around him
- 1 Middle Tennessee player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +2 net (20 in / 18 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Middle Tennessee · Last season: 3-9 · Talent rank #109 · 2026 recruiting class #119
DNA match
Player DNA
Two-Gap Base
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
IDL
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Mike Ramsay’s 2016 season.
Matches Mike on
Weight
Height
Sack rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to CJ Hunt's sophomore season at Eastern Michigan (2019).
Matches CJ on
Class year
TFL rate
Hurry rate
Background
Honors • 2025: CUSA All-Freshman Team 2025 (r-Freshman) • Played in all 12 games • Ended the year with 21 tackles, including 3.0 TFLs, 3.0 sacks, three hurries, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble • Was in on 260 total defensive snaps, including a season-high 43 at WKU • Had three tackles, incl...
The defensive line · Middle Tennessee
- #95Zeion Simpson-Smith3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #91Felix Hixon0 tackles for loss · 2025
- #93Aidan Butts0 tackles for loss · 2025
- #90Justin Bodford0 tackles for loss · 2025
- #49Tiyyan Robinson0 tackles for loss · 2025
8 more on the roster · Middle Tennessee team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology