Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 45-9vs Towson | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#15
Donovan Darden
Sophomore linebacker for South Carolina. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 240 lb · Havelock, NC
Returning to South Carolina for 2026
The numbers
1
tackle · 2026
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Towson
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 linebacker for South Carolina. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to South Carolina in 2025.
- 1 tackle in 2025. Then 1 in 2026.
Donovan Darden
This is his second year in the same linebacker corps at South Carolina. One game to point at: 1 tackles against Towson — Week 2, 2026.
1 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2025
- Signed with South Carolina4-star out of Havelock
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
South Carolina
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Shane Beamer, all run-leaning offenses — 6-8 over that span.
2025South Carolina4-8HC: Shane Beamer · Run-leaning
2026South Carolina2-0HC: Shane Beamer · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
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 1 game: 1.0 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
Shane Beamer
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | South Carolina | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | South Carolina | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 45–9
vs Towson
1 TOT
Dominant 36-point win at home against Towson.
With L. Sellers — 96 yds · 0 TD · 1 INT · 119 rush yds (7 car) · 1 TD · M. Fuller — 125 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
South Carolina
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · South Carolina
Returning around him
- 3 South Carolina players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +2 net (27 in / 25 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
South Carolina · Last season: 4-8 (AP #11) · Talent rank #15 · 2026 recruiting class #14
The linebacker corps · South Carolina
- #17Justin Okoronkwo63 tackles · 2025
- Fred Johnson62 tackles · 2025
- #7Shawn Murphy49 tackles · 2025
- #34Jamian Risher Jr.4 tackles · 2025
- #15Donovan Darden1 tackle · 2025
4 more on the roster · South Carolina team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology