Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 71-3vs Nicholls | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 34-7vs Washington State | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 6 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#4
Mekhi Mason
Senior linebacker for Kansas State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 233 lb · Pembroke Pines, FL · Monsignor Pace
CFB Index 76 · #83 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceTransferred Louisiana Tech → Kansas 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
6
tackles · 2026
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 tackles, vs Washington State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Kansas State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Syracuse in 2022.
- Transferred from Louisiana Tech to Kansas State in 2026.
Mekhi Mason
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. Two head coaches in three seasons, at two different programs. 2025 brought the first one: All-Conference USA. One game to point at: 5 tackles against Washington State — Week 2, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
2022
- Signed with Syracuse3-star out of Monsignor Pace
20247 games
- Entered the portal
202511 games
- All-Conference USAsecond
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-CONFERENCE USA · 2ND TEAM
All-Conference USA 2nd team (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024–2025
Kansas State
2026era →
Collin Klein
Kansas State
Coaching transition mid-career: Chris Klieman → Collin Klein. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Kansas State
2025Louisiana Tech
2026Kansas State
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Louisiana Tech5-8HC: Sonny Cumbie · Run-leaning
2025Louisiana Tech8-5HC: Sonny Cumbie · Run-heavy
2026Kansas State2-0HC: Collin Klein · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidenceBreakout
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: 3.0 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
Collin Klein
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
One of 52 players who were elite at two different things in 2025. See the others ›
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kansas State | 6 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Louisiana Tech | 62 | 26 | 14.5 | 3.5 | 4 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Louisiana Tech | 28 | 13 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 96 | 44 | 18.5 | 4.5 | 5 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 71–3
vs Nicholls
1 TOT · 1 SOLO
Dominant 68-point win at home against Nicholls.
With A. Johnson — 199 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · 23 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD · B. White — 7 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Coverage 'Backer
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Brendan Jackson’s 2024 season.
68%match
All-Sun Belt
Matches Brendan on
Tackle volume
Differs from Brendan on
PD rate (higher)
Class year (lower)
Sack rate (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Braylan Lovelace's sophomore season at Pittsburgh (2024).
75%match
Matches Braylan on
Weight
Sack rate
Tackle volume
Differs from Braylan on
PD rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Mekhi Mason
Background
CAREER HONORS • 2025 All-Conference USA Second Team (Coaches) • 2025 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week (Southeastern La.) 2025 AT LOUISIANA TECH UNIV.: Played in 12 games with 11 starts, totaling 68 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and four passes defended en route to All-Confe...
The linebacker corps · Kansas State
- #4Mekhi Mason62 tackles · 2025
- #28Rex Van Wyhe29 tackles · 2025
- #20Jacobi Oliphant Jr.24 tackles · 2025
- #35Gabe Powers21 tackles · 2025
- #23Asa Newsom20 tackles · 2025
6 more on the roster · Kansas State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology