Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 35-7vs Eastern Michigan | 7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 7 tackles |
| Wk 3 | L 10-27@ Notre Dame | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 12 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#18
Dion Crawford
Senior linebacker for Michigan State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 243 lb · Atlanta, GA · Collins Hill
CFB Index 68 · #138 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred Buffalo → Michigan State 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
12
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 tackles, at Notre Dame
Statement game10 tackles · 3 TFL · 3 sacksat Eastern Michigan (FBS) · W 37-20
Top 1% sacks game since 2021.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior linebacker for Michigan State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Buffalo in 2023.
- Transferred from Buffalo to Michigan State in 2026.
Dion Crawford
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Three head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. 2024 brought the first one: All-MAC. One game to point at: 7 tackles against Eastern Michigan — Week 2, 2026.
12 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
20238 games
- Signed with Buffalo3-star out of Collins Hill
202413 games
- All-MACthird
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-MAC
All-MAC mention (2024)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
3 coaches2023
Michigan State
Played under 3 different head coaches: Mel Tucker, Jonathan Smith, and Pat Fitzgerald. Multi-era developmental context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Michigan State
2025Buffalo
2026Michigan State
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Michigan State | 12 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Buffalo | 79 | 30 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Buffalo | 58 | 27 | 15.0 | 8.5 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Buffalo | 28 | 20 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 177 | 80 | 21.0 | 12.0 | 4 | -- | -- |
Game log
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +5 tackles.
Season context · Team result + system
2023Buffalo3-9HC: Maurice Linguist · Balanced
2024Buffalo9-4HC: Maurice Linguist · Run-heavy
2025Buffalo5-7HC: Pete Lembo · Balanced
2026Michigan State2-1HC: Pat Fitzgerald · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Concern: solo tackles (5th 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: 6.0 TKL/g, 0.0 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
Pat Fitzgerald
Pass share
39.4%
78 pass / 120 run
Plays / game
66.0
3 games
Team sack rate
10.1%
89 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-heavy.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Starter
Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
68 · #138 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #138 at the position.
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
Starter
The No. 1,403 recruit in the country is starting at linebacker in the Big Ten as a senior.
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Arion Carter’s 2025 season.
85%match
All-SEC
Matches Arion on
Tackle volume
Solo tackle rate
TFL rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Arion Carter's junior season at Tennessee (2025).
88%match
All-SEC
Matches Arion on
Solo tackle rate
Hurry rate
Tackle volume
Player DNA
Players who play like Dion Crawford
Background
Transfer linebacker from Buffalo has played in 35 career games. . . collected 171 tackles, 21 tackles for loss (85 yards) and 12 sacks (66 yards) for the Bulls . . . also has four pass break-ups and two forced fumbles . . . started 21 games and played 1,661 snaps on defense in three seasons…
The linebacker corps · Michigan State
- #5Jordan Hall88 tackles · 2025
- #18Dion Crawford79 tackles · 2025
- #45Brady Pretzlaff4 tackles · 2025
- #44Caleb Wheatland1 tackle · 2025
- #12Cam Stodghill2 games · 2026
4 more on the roster · Michigan State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology