Junior linebacker for Fresno State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 235 lb · Chicago, IL · Kenwood Academy
How he plays
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
Tackles for loss: 91st percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 9 tackles, 2 TFL, at USC
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Junior linebacker for Fresno State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
K'Vion Thunderbird
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. K'Vion Thunderbird has played for two head coaches across four seasons and two programs. The receipt: 10 tackles, 1 sacks against San José State — Week 3, 2026.
23 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
The role got bigger.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Jeff Tedford, Tim Skipper, and Matt Entz. Multi-era developmental context.
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fresno State | 23 | 11 | 3.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Fresno State | 32 | 12 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 3 | 2 | -- |
| 2024 | Arizona State | 4 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Arizona State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 60 | 26 | 5.5 | 2.0 | 3 | 2 | -- |
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 0-39@ USC | 9 | 6 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 49-3vs Sacramento State | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 26-10@ San José State | 10 | 3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 10 tackles |
| Total | 23 | 11 | 3.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 3 · 2026
W 26–10
1 sacks · 1 tackles for loss · 10 tackles
With N. Verdugo — 40.9 yards per punt · 7 punts · 4 inside the 20 · J. Mandal — 186 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 52.3 · 46 rush yds (9 car)
Since week 2: +10 tackles, +1 tackle for loss, +1 sack.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: tackles for loss (91st percentile). Strength: tackles (91st percentile). Concern: passes defended (28th 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
23tackles this seasonTFL rate
13%3 TFLSack rate
4%1 sacksPD rate
0%0 pass breakups23 tackles · 3 for loss · 1 sacks.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 9.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 7.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Matt Entz
Pass share
42.7%
73 pass / 98 run
Plays / game
57.0
3 games
Team sack rate
4.9%
81 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning, slow tempo.
Player standing · 2026
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Play style
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
CFB Index positional classification
The No. 1,008 recruit in the country is starting at linebacker in the Pac-12 as a junior.
Player DNA
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
His 2026 production profile sits closest to K.J. Britt’s 2019 season.
Matches K.J. on
Differs from K.J. on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Monroe Beard's senior season at Marshall (2024).
Matches Monroe on
Player DNA
2025 (SOPHOMORE): Appeared in seven games … started all seven before a season-ending injury … had 32 tackles … added 1.5 TFL, two interceptions, three pass breakups and a quarterback hurry … had a 59-yard interception return for a touchdown at Hawai’i (Sept. 20) … had a season-high eight…
5 more on the roster · Fresno State team page