Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 34-18vs South Dakota State | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 41-7vs Colorado | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#32
Matthew Smith
Sophomore linebacker for Northwestern. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 225 lb · Durham, NC · Hillside
The numbers
1
tackle · 2026 · through week 3
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Colorado
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Sophomore linebacker for Northwestern. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Northwestern in 2024.
Matthew Smith
One game to point at: 1 tackles against Colorado — Week 3, 2026.
1 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Northwestern3-star out of Hillside
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Northwestern
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Northwestern | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 34–18
1 hurries
With A. Chiles — 273 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · 18 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD · J. Himon II — 87 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD
2026 snapshot
Since week 1: +1 tackle.
Season context · Team result + system
2026Northwestern2-0HC: David Braun · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
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: 0.5 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
David Braun
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Starter
The No. 2,364 recruit in the country is starting at linebacker in the Big Ten as a sophomore.
Background
2025 Redshirt First-Year: Did not see game action. 2024 First-Year: Did not see game action as a true first-year. High School: Three-star prospect rated by 247Sports … As a senior, played in eight games at Hillside HS, posting 60 tackles with 8.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one interception,…
The linebacker corps · Northwestern
- #37Mac Uihlein89 tackles · 2025
- #33Braydon Brus81 tackles · 2025
- #2Kobie McKinzie32 tackles · 2025
- #14Yanni Karlaftis11 tackles · 2025
- #32Matthew Smith2 games · 2026
12 more on the roster · Northwestern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology