Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 17-29vs Idaho State | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
#17
Mataira Brown
Sophomore linebacker for Utah State. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 230 lb · Pleasant Grove, UT
CFB Index 42 · #367 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Utah State 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
2
tackles · 2026
1 TFL · 1 sacks
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sacks, vs Idaho State
His career numbers, season by seasonMataira Brown
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. He has spent two seasons in the Utah State linebacker corps. One game to point at: 2 tackles, 1 sacks against Idaho State — Week 1, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Utah State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Bronco Mendenhall — 6-9 over that span.
2025Utah State6-7HC: Bronco Mendenhall · Balanced
2026Utah State0-2HC: Bronco Mendenhall · Balanced, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: sacks (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 splits
Through 1 game: 2.0 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
Bronco Mendenhall
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
42 · #367 of 583 LBs
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Pac-12
Based on 2025: #25 of 45 Mountain West LBs — his program moves to the Pac-12 for 2026
How the All-Pac-12 estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player. The base rate was measured on players who stayed in the same conference; this estimate is not adjusted for the move to the Pac-12.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Utah State | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Utah State | 36 | 10 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 38 | 11 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | -- |
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Utah State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Utah State
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +10 net (29 in / 19 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Utah State · Last season: 6-7 · Talent rank #123 · 2026 recruiting class #97
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Caden Sullivan’s 2024 season.
Matches Caden on
Weight
Hurry rate
Class year
Differs from Caden on
Solo tackle rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Tyler Lockhart's freshman season at Mississippi State (2025).
Matches Tyler on
Tackle volume
Sack rate
TFL rate
Differs from Tyler on
Class year (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Mataira Brown
The linebacker corps · Utah State
- #20John Miller118 tackles · 2025
- #14Bronson Olevao88 tackles · 2025
- #25Chris Joe41 tackles · 2025
- Harrison Taggart38 tackles · 2025
- #17Mataira Brown36 tackles · 2025
30 more on the roster · Utah State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology