Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 21-24@ Troy | 3 | 1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Wk 2 | L 17-23vs Tulsa | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 2 | 2.5 | 2.5 | — | 0 |
#12
Elijah Groves
Junior linebacker for Sam Houston. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′5″ · 245 lb · Cross Plains, TN · East Robertson HS / NC State
Transferred NC State → Sam Houston for 2026
The numbers
4
tackles · 2026
2.5 TFL · 2.5 sacks
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, at Troy
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Sam Houston. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to NC State in 2024.
- Transferred from NC State to Sam Houston in 2026.
Elijah Groves
He got to Sam Houston by way of NC State. The receipt: 3 tackles, 1.5 sacks against Troy — Week 1, 2026.
4 TACKLES · 2.5 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- portal record
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with NC State4-star out of East Robertson
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Sam Houston
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Sam Houston
2025NC State
2026Sam Houston
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026Sam Houston0-2HC: Phil Longo · Pass-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: sacks (99th percentile). Strength: tackles for loss (91st percentile). 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: 2.0 TKL/g, 1.2 TFL/g, 1.2 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Phil Longo
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 | Sam Houston | 4 | 2 | 2.5 | 2.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 4 | 2 | 2.5 | 2.5 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
Background
NC State 2025 Season Did not see any action 2024 Season Took a redshirt East Robertson HS A 4-star prospect ... ranked as the No. 2 linebacker in Tennessee, and the No.12 ranked linebacker in the country ... took part in the All-American Bow ... played In 31 games played for East Robertson, total...
The linebacker corps · Sam Houston
- #21Dean Ford32 tackles · 2025
- #42Ca'lub Holloway29 tackles · 2025
- #26Tokyo Gordon19 tackles · 2025
- #45Eli Wallace1 tackle · 2025
- #12Elijah Groves2 games · 2026
7 more on the roster · Sam Houston team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology