Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 31-3vs Houston Christian | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 0-52@ Notre Dame | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#96
Dillan Botts
Senior defensive lineman on Rice's 2026 roster.
6′1″ · 286 lb · Houston, TX · Bridgeland
CFB Index 29 · #261 of 330 interior linemenLow confidenceReturning to Rice 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
0.5 TFL · 2 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 0.5 TFL, 1 tackles, vs Houston Christian
His career numbers, season by seasonDillan Botts
Wins his gap play after play. This is his second year in the same defensive front at Rice. One game to point at: 1 tackles against Notre Dame — Week 2, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Rice
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Scott Abell — 6-9 over that span.
2025Rice5-8HC: Scott Abell · Run-heavy
2026Rice1-1HC: Scott Abell · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low 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: 1.0 TKL/g, 0.2 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
Scott Abell
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
29 · #261 of 330 interior linemen
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-AAC
Based on 2025: #33 of 53 American Athletic DLs
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
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 31–3
1 TOT · 0 TFL
Dominant 28-point win at home against Houston Christian.
With Q. Jackson — 61 rush yds (10 car) · 2 TD · C. Durkin — 54 AVG · 54 LONG · 1 NO
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
Rice
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Rice
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: -2 net (20 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Rice · Last season: 5-8 · Talent rank #100 · 2026 recruiting class #104
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 2025 production profile sits closest to Gabriel Iniguez Jr.’s 2024 season.
89%match
All-Mountain West
Matches Gabriel on
Weight
Hurry rate
TFL rate
Differs from Gabriel on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Jordan Branch's freshman season at Middle Tennessee (2020).
Matches Jordan on
Sack rate
Hurry rate
Weight
Differs from Jordan on
Class year (lower)
Background
Honors American Conference All-Academic 2026 2026 Phil Steele American All-Conference preseason third team (2026) Athlon American All-Conference preseason fourth team (2026) Pronunciation Guide 2025 Saw action in all 13 games, including 10 starts and 345 snaps on defense after transferring from M...
The defensive line · Rice
- #57Aquantis Clemmons3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #16Chibby Nwajuaku3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #92Luca Akirtava2 tackles for loss · 2025
- #2Jo Chavez1.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #96Dillan Botts0.5 tackles for loss · 2025
14 more on the roster · Rice team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology