#28

Manny Lawrence-Burke

Senior linebacker for Kent State. 2021: 85 tackles, 3 tackles for loss.

LB · Kent State · Sr. · #28

6′0″ · 200 lb · Steubenville, OH

CFB Index 48 · #307 of 578 LBsHigh confidenceKent State 2021 alumnus

The story

4 linebacker for Kent State. 2021: 85 tackles, 3 tackles for loss.

Signed as a 2-star recruit to Kent State in 2016.

His career, year by year

Recruiting

2★

S recruit

No. 3666 nationally · Signed with Kent State

No college snaps yet.

His career numbers, season by season

How it ended

Six seasons at Kent State, 278 tackles — his college career is complete.

His career

Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.

20165 games

Signed with Kent State2-star out of Steubenville

Career arc

Recruit

★★

#3666 national

CFB

College

Kent State

2016–2021

NFL

NFL Draft

—

Not drafted

Coaching lineage · 2016–2021

2 coaches

2016–2017

Paul Haynes

Kent State

2018–2021

Sean Lewis

Kent State

era →

Coaching transition mid-career: Paul Haynes → Sean Lewis. Worth noting in scheme + development context.

2021 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2016Kent State3-9HC: Paul Haynes · Run-heavy

2017Kent State2-10HC: Paul Haynes · Run-heavy

2018Kent State2-10HC: Sean Lewis · Run-leaning, fast tempo

2019Kent State7-6HC: Sean Lewis · Run-heavy

2020Kent State3-1HC: Sean Lewis · Run-heavy, fast tempo

2021Kent State7-7HC: Sean Lewis · Run-heavy, fast tempo

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

48Rotational starter #307 of 578?

High confidence7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: solo tackles (96th percentile). Strength: tackles (95th percentile). Concern: sacks (24th percentile).

Box-score production (7)

Solo tackles#102 / 2743 · 96th pct

Tackles#141 / 2743 · 95th pct

Passes defended#207 / 2743 · 91st pct

QB hurries#530 / 2743 · 75th pct

Tackles for loss#1047 / 2743 · 58th pct

3.0

Interceptions#320 / 824 · 31st pct

Sacks#1435 / 2743 · 24th pct

0.0

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

2021 season · 12 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home4g	7.2	0.4	0.0	1.2
Road8g	6.0	0.2	0.0	0.0

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-77g	5.4	0.0	0.0	0.6
Weeks 8+5g	7.8	0.6	0.0	0.2

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Mark Carney

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2021

Starter

Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

48 · #307 of 578 LBs

Two-star recruit. Now #307 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2021	Kent State	85	52	3.0	0.0	5	1	--
2020	Kent State	14	10	2.0	1.0	--	--	--
2019	Kent State	96	48	4.5	3.0	2	1	--
2018	Kent State	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
2017	Kent State	76	33	6.5	0.5	--	1	--
2016	Kent State	7	3	0.0	0.0	--	--	--
Career		278	146	16.0	4.5	7	3	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2021

W 60–10

vs VMI

2 SOLO · 2 TOT · 1 PD

Dominant 50-point win at home against VMI.

With D. Crum — 180 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 92.2 · 70 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD · M. Cooper — 119 rush yds (12 car) · 1 TD

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2021 season · 12 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	INT	PD	Note
Wk 1	L 10-41@ Texas A&M	1	1	0.0	—	0
Wk 2	W 60-10vs VMI	2	2	0.0	—	1
Wk 3	L 7-30@ Iowa	5	4	0.0	—	0
Wk 4	L 16-37@ Maryland	2	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 5	W 27-20vs Bowling Green	7	6	0.0	—	0
Wk 6	W 48-38vs Buffalo	13	7	0.0	—	3
Wk 7	L 31-64@ Western Michigan	8	8	0.0	—	0
Wk 8	W 34-27@ Ohio	14	7	1.0	—	0	Season-high 14 tackles
Wk 11	L 30-54@ Central Michigan	2	0	0.0	—	0
Wk 12	W 38-0@ Akron	7	4	0.5	—	0
Wk 13	W 48-47vs Miami (OH)	7	4	1.5	1	1
Wk 14	L 23-41@ Northern Illinois	9	1	0.0	—	0
Total		77	46	3.0	1	5

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology

Manny Lawrence-Burke

20165 games

2021 snapshot

Splits & context

Awards

Starter

Career stats

Signature game

Game log

How he plays

DNA match

Coverage 'Backer

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