Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 3 | W 41-7vs Colorado | 6 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 6 tackles |
#47
Michael Kilbane
Senior defensive lineman on Northwestern's 2026 roster.
6′5″ · 280 lb · Lakewood, OH · St. Edward
CFB Index 59 · #157 of 420 edge rushersLow confidence
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
0
sacks · 2026 · through week 3
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 TFL, 6 tackles, vs Colorado
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior defensive lineman on Northwestern's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Northwestern in 2023.
Michael Kilbane
Disrupts the pocket from the interior. He has spent four seasons in the Northwestern defensive front. One game to point at: 6 tackles, 1 TFL against Colorado — Week 3, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20236 games
- Signed with Northwestern3-star out of St. Edward
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Northwestern
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Northwestern
Played his entire career under David Braun.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Northwestern | 6 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Northwestern | 42 | 18 | 7.5 | 3.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Northwestern | 20 | 9 | 3.0 | 2.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Northwestern | 11 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 79 | 32 | 12.0 | 6.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
Game log
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under David Braun — 21-19 over that span.
2023Northwestern8-5HC: David Braun · Run-leaning
2024Northwestern4-8HC: David Braun · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Northwestern7-6HC: David Braun · Run-leaning
2026Northwestern2-0HC: David Braun · Run-heavy, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
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: 6.0 TKL/g, 1.0 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 · 2025
Starter
Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
59 · #157 of 420 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #157 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #28 of 69 Big Ten DLs
How the All-Big Ten 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.
How he plays
Play style
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
3-Tech Penetrator
Disruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Daniel Okpoko’s 2023 season.
91%match
Matches Daniel on
TFL rate
Sack rate
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Keldric Faulk's junior season at Auburn (2025).
84%match
All-SECNFL Rd 1 · Pk 31
Matches Keldric on
TFL rate
Sack rate
Weight
Player DNA
Players who play like Michael Kilbane
Background
2025 Junior: Earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention … Played in all 13 games and made four starts … Posted 43 stops, 17 solo tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, all of which were career highs, in a breakout junior season on the defensive line … Logged his first half sack of the year…
The defensive line · Northwestern
- #47Michael Kilbane7.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #90Carmine Bastone4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #24Jamaal Johnson1.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #95Najee Story1 tackle for loss · 2025
- #52Richie Hagarty1 tackle for loss · 2025
22 more on the roster · Northwestern team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology