Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | L 14-16@ Washington | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | L 0-33@ Utah | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 1.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
BJ Diakite
Senior linebacker for Utah State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 240 lb · Birmingham, AL
CFB Index 16 · #385 of 418 edge rushersHigh confidence
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
3
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, 1 TFL, at Utah
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior linebacker for Utah State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Vanderbilt in 2022.
BJ Diakite
Holds up snap after snap without a weakness to attack. Two head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. The receipt on tape: 2 tackles, 1 TFL against Utah, Week 3, 2026.
3 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 5 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20226 games
- Signed with Vanderbilt3-star out of Pinson Valley
2025
The snaps went the other way.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
3 coaches2022–2023
Utah State
2024era →
Nate Dreiling
Utah State
Played under 3 different head coaches: Blake Anderson, Nate Dreiling, and Bronco Mendenhall. Multi-era developmental context.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Utah State | 3 | 1 | 1.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Vanderbilt | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Vanderbilt | 20 | 6 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Vanderbilt | 12 | 6 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 38 | 16 | 6.5 | 2.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
Game log
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +2 tackles, +1 tackle for loss.
Season context · Team result + system
2022Vanderbilt5-7HC: Clark Lea · Run-leaning
2023Vanderbilt2-10HC: Clark Lea · Balanced, slow tempo
2024Vanderbilt7-6HC: Clark Lea · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2026Utah State0-3HC: Bronco Mendenhall · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium 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: 1.5 TKL/g, 0.8 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
Bronco Mendenhall
Pass share
54.3%
121 pass / 102 run
Plays / game
74.3
3 games
Team sack rate
8.3%
120 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced.
Awards
Player standing · 2023
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
16 · #385 of 418 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #385 at the position.
How he plays
Play style
No single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Versatile End
No single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board.
LB
His 2023 production profile sits closest to Jonathan Ross’s 2023 season.
Matches Jonathan on
Class year
Height
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Keenan Pili's sophomore season at BYU (2021).
Matches Keenan on
Class year
Height
Sack rate
Player DNA
Players who play like BJ Diakite
The linebacker corps · Utah State
- Harrison Taggart18 tackles · 2026
- #11Asher Cunningham17 tackles · 2026
- #41Carl Nesmith15 tackles · 2026
- #18James Jennette11 tackles · 2026
- BJ Diakite3 tackles · 2026
30 more on the roster · Utah State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology