Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 38-16vs Akron | 9 | 2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 38-36@ Purdue | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | L 20-33vs Miami | 6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 19 | 2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#43
Frank Cusano
Redshirt sophomore linebacker for Wake Forest. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 222 lb · Granite Bay, CA · Granite Bay
CFB Index 33 · #440 of 583 LBsHigh confidence
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.
How he plays
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait.
Tackles: 79th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
19
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 6 tackles, vs Miami
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Redshirt sophomore linebacker for Wake Forest. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Washington State in 2024.
- Transferred from Washington State to Wake Forest in 2025.
Frank Cusano
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Frank Cusano has played for two head coaches across three seasons and two programs. The receipt on tape: 9 tackles, 0.5 TFL against Akron, Week 1, 2026.
19 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Washington State3-star out of Granite Bay
202512 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
Wake Forest
Coaching transition mid-career: Dave Clawson → Jake Dickert. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wake Forest | 19 | 2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Wake Forest | 45 | 18 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Washington State | 3 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 67 | 23 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
Game log
Game by game
Frank Cusano's 2026 production
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 38–36
at Purdue
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +6 tackles.
Season context · Team result + system
2024Washington State8-5HC: Pete Kaligis · Run-leaning
2025Wake Forest9-4HC: Jake Dickert · Balanced
2026Wake Forest2-1HC: Jake Dickert · Pass-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Concern: solo tackles (2nd 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.
Defensive profile
Defender profile · Production by role
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
Tackle volume
19tackles this seasonTFL rate
3%0 TFLSack rate
0%0 sacksPD rate
0%0 pass breakups19 tackles · 0 for loss.
Splits & context
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home2g | 7.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road1g | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 6.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Jake Dickert
Pass share
55.1%
108 pass / 88 run
Plays / game
65.3
3 games
Team sack rate
4.1%
121 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Pass-leaning.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #60 of 74 ACC LBs
How the All-ACC 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.
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
Starter
The No. 1,586 recruit in the country is starting at linebacker in the ACC as a redshirt sophomore.
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Justin Flowe’s 2023 season.
Matches Justin on
Tackle volume
Height
Sack rate
Differs from Justin on
Solo tackle rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to RJ Edwards's junior season at Massachusetts (2024).
Matches RJ on
TFL rate
Weight
Tackle volume
Differs from RJ on
Class year (lower)
Solo tackle rate (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Frank Cusano
Background
2025 (Redshirt Freshman) Appeared in 12 games for the Demon Deacons… Recorded 45 tackles with 1.5 tackles-for-loss and 0.5 sacks, and a pass breakup… Stood out in the win against Western Carolina with six tackles and 0.5 sacks… Added three tackles in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against Mississippi…
The linebacker corps · Wake Forest
- #21Aiden Hall73 tackles · 2025
- #43Frank Cusano45 tackles · 2025
- #12Tylan McNichols39 tackles · 2025
- #7Buom Jock2 tackles · 2025
- #40Whittman Whaley2 tackles · 2025
5 more on the roster · Wake Forest team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology