Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 59-7vs Texas State | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 24-23vs Ohio State | 9 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Wk 3 | W 30-6vs UTSA | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 14 | 5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
#28
Justin Cryer
Senior linebacker for Texas. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 241 lb · Katy, TX · Royal
CFB Index 39 · #391 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred Florida State → Texas 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
14
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 9 tackles, 1 TFL, vs Ohio State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior linebacker for Texas. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Northwestern in 2023.
- Transferred from Florida State to Texas in 2026.
In Their Words
154 windows · 2026 fan posts
tyanthony×2109.2justin×106.6biles×134.6level×41.9linebacker×24.5texas×11.2starting×13.6smith×14.0
Justin Cryer
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Two head coaches in four seasons, at two different programs. The receipt on tape: 9 tackles, 1 TFL against Ohio State, Week 2, 2026.
14 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
5 programs, one constant: he played.
20234 games
- Signed with Northwestern3-star out of Brookshire Royal
20263 games
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Texas
Played his entire career under Steve Sarkisian.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Texas
2025Florida State
2026Texas
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Texas | 14 | 5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Florida State | 43 | 15 | 5.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Florida State | 28 | 17 | 2.0 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | Florida State | 10 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 95 | 42 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
Game log
Game by game
Justin Cryer'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 24–23
vs Ohio State
1 tackles for loss · 9 tackles · 1 pass breakups
A wire-to-wire battle — won by 1 at home.
With A. Manning — 195 yds · 1 TD · 1 INT · QBR 83.0 · 24 rush yds (8 car) · D. Smothers — 74 rush yds (21 car) · 2 TD
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +2 tackles.
Season context · Team result + system
2023Florida State13-1HC: Mike Norvell · Balanced
2024Florida State2-10HC: Mike Norvell · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Florida State5-7HC: Mike Norvell · Run-leaning
2026Texas3-0HC: Steve Sarkisian · Run-leaning, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: qb hurries (98th percentile). Concern: solo tackles (21st 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
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home3g | 4.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 4.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Steve Sarkisian
Pass share
45.9%
105 pass / 124 run
Plays / game
76.3
3 games
Team sack rate
3.5%
115 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning, fast tempo.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
39 · #391 of 583 LBs
Three-star recruit. Now #391 at the position.
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
Starter
The No. 1,014 recruit in the country is starting at linebacker in the SEC 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 Jerry Roberts’s 2021 season.
Matches Jerry on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Sack rate
Differs from Jerry on
Hurry rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to TW Ayers's junior season at Arkansas State (2022).
Matches TW on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like Justin Cryer
Background
A first-year linebacker from Katy, Texas … transferred to Texas from Florida State in spring 2026 … played in 26 games with 10 starts across three seasons at Florida State … named to 2023 All-ACC Academic Team. BEFORE TEXAS JUNIOR (2025) Appeared in all 12 games with career-high eight starts ……
The linebacker corps · Texas
- #3Rasheem Biles100 tackles · 2025
- #26Ty'Anthony Smith59 tackles · 2025
- #28Justin Cryer43 tackles · 2025
- #45Darius Snow34 tackles · 2025
- #14Brad Spence21 tackles · 2025
7 more on the roster · Texas team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology