Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 17-3vs Tulane | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 35-7vs Stanford | 2 | 2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 3 | 2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | — | 0 |
#15
Kevin O'Connor
Junior defensive end for Duke. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′4″ · 245 lb · Easton, MD · Easton
The numbers
2
sacks · 2026 · through week 3
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 tackles, vs Stanford
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Junior defensive end for Duke. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Duke in 2023.
Kevin O'Connor
Collapses the pocket even when the sack doesn't come. Third year in the Duke defensive front, same address the whole way. One game to point at: 2 tackles, 2 sacks against Stanford — Week 3, 2026.
3 TACKLES · 2 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Duke3-star out of Easton
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Duke
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Duke
Played his entire career under Manny Diaz.
Career stats
Game log
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +2 sacks, +2 tackles for loss, +2 tackles.
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Manny Diaz — 21-9 over that span.
2024Duke9-4HC: Manny Diaz · Pass-leaning
2025Duke9-5HC: Manny Diaz · Balanced
2026Duke3-0HC: Manny Diaz · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: sacks (96th percentile). Strength: tackles for loss (80th 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: 1.5 TKL/g, 1.0 TFL/g, 1.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Manny Diaz
Pass share
36.5%
73 pass / 127 run
Plays / game
66.7
3 games
Team sack rate
2.5%
79 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-heavy.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
How he plays
Play style
Collapses the pocket even when the sack doesn't come.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Pressure Merchant
Collapses the pocket even when the sack doesn't come.
EDGE
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Mekhi Buchanan’s 2023 season.
Matches Mekhi on
Weight
Sack rate
Height
Differs from Mekhi on
Class year (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Jacob Cruz's sophomore season at Jacksonville State (2025).
Matches Jacob on
Class year
Height
Sack rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Kevin O'Connor
Background
2026: Returning defensive end ... two-time Academic All-ACC selection (2024-25) ... member of the Duke Dean’s List for the spring 2026 semester ... in 27 career games, has compiled 19 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks and four QB pressures ... added a six-yard run on a fake punt in 2025 … earned 2+…
The defensive line · Duke
- #10Tyshon Reed3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #95Preston Watson3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #12Bryce Davis2 tackles for loss · 2025
- #15Kevin O'Connor1 tackle for loss · 2025
- #44David Anderson0.5 tackles for loss · 2025
12 more on the roster · Duke team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology