Junior linebacker for UAB. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 225 lb · Manor, TX · Manor
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
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
Solo tackles: 97th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 10 tackles, 1 INT, vs UL Monroe
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Junior linebacker for UAB. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
Ike Esonwune
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Across three seasons and two programs, three head coaches: Mike Gundy, Doug Meacham and Alex Mortensen. The receipt: 10 tackles against Louisiana — Week 3, 2026.
25 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Trent Dilfer → Alex Mortensen. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to UAB
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UAB | 25 | 16 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Oklahoma State | 28 | 11 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Oklahoma State | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 54 | 27 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | -- |
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 23-42@ Illinois | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 26-20vs UL Monroe | 10 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | Season-high 10 tackles |
| Wk 3 | L 14-21@ Louisiana | 10 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 25 | 16 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 26–20
vs UL Monroe
Since week 2: +20 tackles, +1 pass breakup.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: solo tackles (97th percentile). Strength: tackles (94th percentile). Concern: tackles for loss (16th percentile).
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.
Defender profile · Production by role
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
Tackle volume
25tackles this seasonTFL rate
0%0 TFLSack rate
0%0 sacksPD rate
4%1 pass breakups25 tackles · 1 interception.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 10.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| Road2g | 7.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 8.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Alex Mortensen
Pass share
36.0%
73 pass / 130 run
Plays / game
67.7
3 games
Team sack rate
8.2%
85 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-heavy.
Player standing · 2026
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Play style
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
The No. 1,680 recruit in the country is starting at linebacker in the American Athletic as a junior.
Player DNA
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Mikel Jones’s 2020 season.
Matches Mikel on
Differs from Mikel on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jonathan Van Diest's junior season at Colorado (2020).
Matches Jonathan on
Player DNA
Pronunciation: eh-su-wuh-neh 2024 & 2025 Academic All-Big 12 selection 2025 (Oklahoma State): Played in 12 games Totaled 31 tackles, 11 solo Added two pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, and a fumble recovery on the season 2024: Appeared in 10 games, only missing the Arkansas and Colorado…
12 more on the roster · UAB team page