Senior linebacker for NC State. 2025: 5 tackles.
6′3″ · 232 lb · Livingston, AL · Selma
The story
4 linebacker for NC State. 2025: 5 tackles.
DaKaari Nelson
DaKaari Nelson has played for two head coaches in two seasons at NC State. The receipt on tape: 2 tackles against Nebraska, Week 13, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
Career arc
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to NC State
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
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 · Per-game
2025 season · 4 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home3g | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road1g | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-72g | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+2g | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Dave Doeren
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Player standing · 2025
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Penn State | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Penn State | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 10 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 4 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 46-11vs Nevada | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 52-6vs Villanova | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 10 | L 14-38@ Ohio State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 13 | W 37-10vs Nebraska | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
AS A RS-SOPHOMORE (2025 AT PENN STATE): • Played in all 13 games, he tallied five tackles for the season. AS A RS-FRESHMAN (2024 AT PENN STATE): • Saw action in 14 contests, starting the Illinois contest. • Tallied five tackles. • Named the coaching staff’s Developmental Squad Special Teams Playe...
19 more on the roster · NC State team page