Junior linebacker for USC. 2026: 17 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks.
6′3″ · 250 lb · Clarkston, MI · Clarkston HS
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
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
Best game: 7 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, at Rutgers
Statement game17 tackles · 1 TFLat Oregon (FBS) · L 27-42
Top 0.1% tackles game since 2021.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Junior linebacker for USC. 2026: 17 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks.
How he plays
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage.
Solo tackles: 78th percentile.
The full scouting readDesman Stephens II
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. This is his third year in the same linebacker corps at USC. The receipt: 7 tackles, 0.5 sacks against Rutgers — Week 3, 2026.
17 TACKLES · 0.5 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
He was on the field for 3 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Lincoln Riley.
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 4 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 42-26vs San José State | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 1 | W 39-0vs Fresno State | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 49-30vs Louisiana | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 42-35@ Rutgers | 7 | 4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 1 | Season-high 7 tackles |
| Total | 17 | 10 | 1.5 | 0.5 | — | 1 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 39–0
vs Fresno State
Since week 2: +7 tackles, +0.5 tackles for loss, +0.5 sacks.
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Lincoln Riley — 20-10 over that span.
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Production sits in the middle of the position cohort across the board.
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.
Defender profile · Production by role
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
Tackle volume
17tackles this seasonTFL rate
9%2 TFLSack rate
3%0 sacksPD rate
6%1 pass breakups17 tackles · 2 for loss · 0 sacks.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 4 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home3g | 3.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road1g | 7.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-74g | 4.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lincoln Riley
Pass share
47.3%
129 pass / 144 run
Plays / game
68.2
4 games
Team sack rate
2.2%
137 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced.
Player standing · 2026
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Recognition
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #45 of 72 Big Ten LBs
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.
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
Player DNA
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Scotty Humpich’s 2022 season.
Matches Scotty on
Differs from Scotty on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Kamuela Ka'aihue's junior season at UNLV (2025).
Matches Kamuela on
Differs from Kamuela on
CAREER: Throughout his two-year career, he has recorded 102 tackles, including 4 for loss of 7 yards, with 2 forced fumbles, 2 QB hurries and 1 INT while appearing in 26 games with 13 starts. 2026: Stephens II returns as an experienced linebacker as a junior in 2026. 2025: Stephens II recorded…
8 more on the roster · USC team page