Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 23-42@ Illinois | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 26-20vs UL Monroe | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | L 14-21@ Louisiana | 4 | 3 | 1.5 | 0.5 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 6 | 5 | 2.5 | 1.5 | — | 0 |
#4
Marlin Dean
Senior linebacker for UAB. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′5″ · 240 lb · Elberton, GA · IMG Academy
CFB Index 33 · #435 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred Georgia State → UAB 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
6
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 4 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, at Louisiana
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior linebacker for UAB. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Utah State in 2024.
- Transferred from Georgia State to UAB in 2026.
Marlin Dean
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Marlin Dean has played for three head coaches across three seasons and three programs. One game to point at: 4 tackles, 1.5 TFL against Louisiana — Week 3, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 1.5 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
20246 games
- Signed with Utah State4-star out of Butler C.C.
20263 games
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
3 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
UAB
2025–2026era →
Alex Mortensen
UAB
Coaching transition mid-career: Trent Dilfer → Alex Mortensen. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to UAB
2025Georgia State
2026UAB
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UAB | 6 | 5 | 2.5 | 1.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Georgia State | 32 | 21 | 3.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Utah State | 6 | 3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 44 | 29 | 7.0 | 4.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
Game by game
Marlin Dean'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 26–20
vs UL Monroe
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +5 tackles, +2.5 tackles for loss, +1.5 sacks.
Season context · Team result + system
2024Utah State4-8HC: Nate Dreiling · Balanced
2025Georgia State1-11HC: Dell McGee · Pass-leaning
2026UAB1-2HC: Alex Mortensen · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: sacks (93rd percentile). Strength: tackles for loss (87th 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
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
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.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
33 · #435 of 583 LBs
Former four-star. Now #435 at the position.
How he plays
Play style
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Thumper
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Keilan Robinson’s 2023 season.
80%match
NFL Rd 5
Matches Keilan on
Tackle volume
Hurry rate
Weight
Differs from Keilan on
Sack rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Keilan Robinson's sophomore season at Alabama (2023).
76%match
NFL Rd 5
Matches Keilan on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Sack rate
Differs from Keilan on
Class year (lower)
Hurry rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Marlin Dean
Background
2025 (Georgia State): Saw action in 11 games on defense for the Panthers Totaled 32 tackles and three TFL Recorded a safety in the home opener against Memphis (9/6) Forced a fumble against Murray State (9/13) Recorded a career-high six tackles at Troy (10/23) 2024 (Utah State): Appeared in nine…
The linebacker corps · UAB
- #35Muaaz Byard32 tackles · 2026
- #3Ike Esonwune25 tackles · 2026
- #44Eli Ennis21 tackles · 2026
- #28Brandon Franklin9 tackles · 2026
- #4Marlin Dean6 tackles · 2026
12 more on the roster · UAB team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology